HC issued stay on forest department notice to actor Jaggesh

Bengaluru : The High Court has issued an interim stay on the notice and search warrant issued by the forest department within an hour of the notice concerning the tiger claw pendant controversy involving Rajya Sabha member and actor Jaggesh. The Forest Department's actions have come under scrutiny, as the High Court expressed deep displeasure with the search carried out by forest officials.

Jaggesh had approached the High Court, contesting the Forest Department's decision to issue notices and conduct searches based on social media footage. The bench, headed by Justice M Nagaprasanna, issued an interim stay on the notice and search warrant while hearing the petition. The court also emphasized that the forest officials should wait for a reply to the notice instead of rushing into searches within an hour. They questioned whether these actions were for publicity, urging that there may be other ways to gain attention without resorting to such tactics.

During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel informed the court that on October 25, the Deputy Conservator of Forests issued a notice, asking for the handover of any tiger claw items in possession. Within an hour of receiving the notice, 14 officers led by the Assistant Conservator of Forests visited Jaggesh's residence and conducted a search. Additionally, forest department officials reviewed social media footage from an interview given to the media approximately 40 years ago and announced their intention to conduct a search. The government's lawyer claimed that they had information that the tiger claw might be destroyed, leading to the swift action.

Expressing displeasure, the bench questioned the sources of this information and described the forest department's actions as being done for publicity rather than legal process. The petitioner's counsel argued that Jaggesh is a member of the Rajya Sabha, and the Parliament session is ongoing with important matters for discussion. He questioned the appropriateness of the forest department's actions in this case.

The controversy emerged after Jaggesh displayed a tiger nail pendant in a media interview from a few years ago, confirming that it was a real tiger claw. This statement gained traction on social media after the seizure of tiger claws from Bigg Boss contestant Varthur Santhosh by forest department officials. In response to the notice from the forest department, Jaggesh approached the High Court to challenge their actions.