A 17-hour search operation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district took an unexpected turn when the Forest Department arrested the suspect on charges of possessing illegal wildlife parts.
The ED raided the residence of Ishwar Bindhani in Bishol village under Kaptipada police limits as part of an investigation into a Rs 122-crore financial fraud.
During the extensive search, federal agents seized property land documents, gold ornaments, and bank passbooks. However, officials also stumbled upon illegal deer antlers and an elephant tusk stored inside the house.
Upon receiving information from the ED team, local Forest Department personnel rushed to the location to inspect the items. Following an on-site inquiry, forest officials confiscated the wildlife contraband and formally arrested Bindhani under the Wildlife Protection laws.
The dramatic sequence of events has drawn widespread attention in the region, blending a high-value financial fraud probe with a major wildlife offence.
