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The Madras High Court has recently directed to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), state police, and forest department officials to probe into cases relating to elephant poaching and other forest crime reported in the Western Ghats area.

The decision was taken by the court after considering the delay in the investigation by the CBI in the 19 elephant poaching cases reported in the Megamalai area.

A bench of Justice V Bharatidasan and Justice N Sathish Kumar directed the SIT to engage further police officers and forest officers, if needed, after obtaining necessary permission from authorities and to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter.

The SIT will be led by CBI Superintendent of Police Nirmala Devi. It also includes CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Santhosh Kumar, former Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Deputy Conservator of Forests R Rajmohan, and IPS officer Mohan Nawaj. The government departments were also instructed to extend necessary support to the investigation carried out by the SIT.

The SIT has been given the power to investigate under the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The court has also directed the SIT to commence investigation by May 15 and to submit a status report by June 10. 

Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted that a committee had been set up to identify the officials who have been posted in the area for more than three years and such officials shall be transferred.

The bench also directed the SIT to even register complaints against the accused and carry on with legal proceedings before the Jurisdictional Magistrates.

Further, the decision to include CBI officials from Kerala will be taken after taking note of the investigation carried out by the SIT. The Government of Kerala had sought time to nominate members to the SIT after the government withdrew a general consent to the CBI to investigate cases within the state.

Case Title: S. Manoj Immanuel v. Union of India and Ors.