TV channel raided, 3 cobras rescued

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The CID Forest Cell raided a Kannada television channel premises in the City and rescued three cobras which were being used in a reality show.

A notice has been served on the channel and three persons who were in possession of the snakes have been arrested by the CID police.

Cases have been booked against them. The cobras were badly handled and their mouths had been stitched to let the actors handle them.

The channel was using the snakes and parakeets, which are protected under law, in the show for the last several weeks.

Aslam Pasha alias Yeshwanthpur Baba, who was arrested, was wanted by wildlife enforcement agencies for the last several years as he supplied snakes for TV reality shows and movies.

Two of his associates were also arrested and a motorcycle, which was used to carry the serpents, was also seized.

Interestingly, there was a huge demand for Yeshwanthpur Baba from Sandalwood and TV show producers, who hired wild animals from him, especially for mythological movies and shows.

“He has taken photographs with every Kannada actor holding snakes. He charged between ` 1,000 and Rs 3,000 per hour per cobra. Besides serials and movies, the snakes are also in demand from snake charmers, who beg near Shiva temples on Mondays,” said an investing officer. Wildlife expert Praveen Bhargav said that mere possession of any wildlife is an offence under law.

“Be it a wild animal or a dead specimen, it requires a possession certificate from the Chief Wildlife Warden. On top of it, if the animals are handled badly, it is a bigger offence,” he added.

This is not the first time that a television channel is being raided for using wildlife. Last year, two television channel studios were raided by urban forest officials after a snake expert brought snakes to the studio for a show.