Two Russians, recently arrested by Sikkim forest personnel on charges of catching butterflies illegally from a reserve forest, have been let off by a Lok Adalat in Gangtok after authorities withdrew charges against them following the payment of a fine. The two Russians, Siniaev Victor and Ammosov Oleg, who were arrested from the Kanchenjungha National Park in West Sikkim's Yuksom area on July 30 for allegedly catching butterflies, moths and beetles, weighing about 20 kg, were freed by Lok Adalat judge S W Lepcha on Saturday.
They were freed as the state's forest, wildlife and environment department decided to withdraw the charges and 'compound' the litigation after nearly two and half months of their arrest. The west district judicial magistrate Lakchung Sherpa after hearing the case on September 27 decided to send it to a Lok Adalat after she got 'convinced' that the litigation was a 'compoundable' one.
Accordingly, the case was settled after a compromise with the forest department setting two terms for the Russians release, they will have to pay Rs 20,000 each as compensation for the 'damage' allegedly caused to the bio-diversity and their confiscated items would not be returned. After the two Russians, Victor and Oleg, complied with the directives, they were 'let off' on Saturday by Lok Adalat.

Bureau Report