Page No.# 1/3 GAHC010121062026 2026:GAU-AS:10681 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : AB/1311/2026 SANJIB KUTUM ALIAS CHANJEEP KUTUM S/O LUJAK KUTUM, R/O VILLAGE BHALUKAGURI, P.O. LUITMUKH, P.S. GOHPUR, DISTRICT BISWANATH, ASSAM. VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE STANDING COUNSEL, ENVIRONMENT FOREST DEPARTMENT Advocate for the Petitioner : MR G PHUKAN, Advocate for the Respondent : SPECIAL PP ASSAM, BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ROBIN PHUKAN ORDER Date : 03.08.2026 Heard Ms. A. Gogoi, learned counsel appearing on behalf of Mr. G. Phukan, learned counsel for the applicant. Also heard Mr. I. Borthakur, learned standing counsel for the respondent Forest Department. 2. Apprehending arrest in connection with CIR/03 of 2025, dated 31.12.2025, Page No.# 2/3 under Sections 9, 39, 44 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, this application under Section 482, BNSS is preferred by applicant, namely, Sanjib Kutum @ Chanjeep Kutum, for grant of pre-arrest bail. 3. It is to be noted here that the aforementioned case has been registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Devoram Taid, Forester-I. The essence of allegation in the aforesaid complaint is that one Debojit Pegu, along with his accomplices were supposed to do a transaction of rhino horn at Gohpur and that one Kiron Pegu and Pranab Kutum were previously involved in rhino poaching at Lakhara Chapori of Gohpur in 2019. 4. Ms. Gogoi, learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant had been granted the privilege of interim pre-arrest bail, vide order dated 17.06.2025, and pursuant to the said order, he also appeared before the I.O. and he has been cooperating with the investigating agency, and that the applicant is innocent and ready to cooperate with the investigating agency, and therefore, a contention is being made that the interim order dated 17.06.2025, may be made absolute in the same terms and conditions. 5. On the other hand, Mr. Borthakur, the learned standing counsel, Forest Department has opposed the petition. However, he fairly submits that nothing has been recovered from the arrested accused in this case. 6. Having heard the submissions of learned Advocates of both sides, this Court has carefully gone through the application and the documents placed on record and also perused the case diary with the assistance of Mr. Borthakur, the learned standing counsel, Forest Department. 7. In view of the materials collected so far in the case diary, and also in view of the nature of accusation, and further considering the fact that nothing has Page No.# 3/3 been recovered from the possession of the arrested accused, Debojit Pegu, this Court is of the view that custodial interrogation of the applicant seems to be not warranted here in this case, in the interest of investigation. 8. Accordingly, the interim order dated 17.06.2025, is hereby made absolute in the same terms and conditions. 9. In terms of above, this application stands disposed of. 10. Case diary be returned. JUDGE Comparing Assistant