Borjora (Bankura), July 2: A Trinamul MLA in Bankura has been accused of keeping two peacocks in a cage in his house for nearly a month, a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Borjora MLA Ashutosh Mukherjee today handed over the birds to the forest department following instructions from forest minister Binoy Krishna Burman, who was informed about the caging of the peacocks by some residents and Trinamul workers during a visit to the district yesterday.

However, the forest department is yet to initiate a case against Mukherjee.

"The MLA today handed over the two peacocks to us and we have kept them at the Beliatore forest range office. The birds are sick and weak. Our veterinary doctors are treating them," said Sudhir Chandra Das, the divisional forest officer of Bankura.

Asked whether a case would be started against the MLA, Das disconnected the call. The phone was unreachable after that.

"Keeping peacocks in a cage at home is prohibited and punishable under Section 52 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The penal measures include a maximum jail term of five years along with a fine of Rs 25,000. Although the MLA has handed over the peacocks to forest officials, the forest department should have started a case against him for keeping the birds at his home for a month," a retired forest official in Durgapur said.

MLA Mukherjee said he had kept the peacocks at his home because of compassion.

"I know that keeping the national bird at home is illegal but I took them to my home because of compassion after finding them lying sick beside a road in a jungle in the area a few days ago. Had I not rescued them, they could have died. I took proper care of them. However, today I handed them over to forest officials," he said.

Peacocks are not uncommon in the jungles of Bankura, West Midnapore, Jhargram and Purulia and often enter human habitat.

After being informed about the peacocks, forest minister Burman, who was in Bankura yesterday to oversee the fencing of elephant-infested forests, spoke to Mukherjee at a meeting with forest officials and local public representatives.

The minister sought a clarification from Mukherjee on the birds.

"Our party MLA told me that he had rescued the sick peacocks from beside a road in a forest in the Beliatore range a few days ago. However, I instructed him to hand over the peacocks to forest officials as keeping them at home is prohibited," Burman said over phone today.

Asked whether he had asked forest officials to start a case against Mukherjee, Burman said he was busy in a meeting and would speak later.