By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), Assam, has claimed that an elephant named Mohan from Lakhimpur was illegally transported to Jaipur using forged documents and a falsified signature of the Assam CWLW.
Officials stated that the case came to light after a report from the Rajasthan Chief Wildlife Warden was received by the Assam Forest Department. Acting on the findings, the Rajasthan Forest Department seized the elephant and arrested those involved in its illegal transportation.
A case has been registered before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Jaipur, and the matter is currently under judicial scrutiny in the Rajasthan High Court. The elephant remains in the custody of the Rajasthan Forest Department.
The CWLW office further informed that parallel legal proceedings have been initiated in Assam. A case has been registered at CJM Lakhimpur, and an investigating officer has been appointed to probe the matter. In addition, an FIR has been lodged at Dispur Police Station in Guwahati over the alleged forgery of official signatures.
The development comes days after wildlife conservationist and environment journalist Mubina Akhtar, a member of the Kaziranga Wildlife Society, wrote to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam seeking detailed information on the reported transfer of captive elephants from Assam to Rajasthan and southern India.
In her letter dated June 12, 2026, Akhtar specifically sought documents related to Mohan’s movement from Lakhimpur to Jaipur and the reported proposed transfer of another captive elephant, Ram Prasad, from Golaghat. She raised concerns over compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024, which mandate strict scrutiny, verification and documentation for the interstate transfer of captive elephants.
In the letter, Akhtar requested copies of ownership certificates, transfer applications, veterinary and genetic profiling records, inquiry reports, transport permits and communications between Assam and recipient states. She also urged the authorities to halt any further interstate movement of captive elephants until full compliance with statutory provisions is verified.
Meanwhile, the department clarified that in another case involving an elephant named Rama Prasad of Golaghat, there is currently no verified information regarding any attempt at illegal transportation, and officials have sought cooperation in sharing any relevant inputs.
Notably, this case had earlier been reported by Northeast Now, which had flagged concerns over the illegal movement of the elephant from Assam to Rajasthan and the alleged role of forged clearance documents in the process.
Wildlife authorities reiterated that strict legal action would continue against those involved in illegal wildlife transportation and document forgery, and investigations are ongoing.