Smuggling racket busted; 3 people with 6,626 dried seahorses arrested at Bengaluru airport
Bengaluru (PTI): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has busted a racket in smuggling of dried seahorses by arresting three people from Tamil Nadu with 6,626 seahorses at the Kempegowda International Airport here, a DRI official said on Tuesday.
With this, the DRI Bengaluru official claimed, a major smuggling network involved in the illegal trade of dried seahorses has been dismantled.
“Acting on specific intelligence, DRI Bengaluru officers apprehended three individuals linked to this syndicate on August 3 at Terminal-1, Kempegowda Airport," he said. "The suspects were en route to Singapore via Mumbai, in a flight of a private airline, when their checked baggage was examined, leading to the discovery of 6,626 (dried) seahorses."
It’s the biggest seizure of (dried) seahorses in recent times. The three passengers have been arrested and are under investigation. All of them are from Tamil Nadu and are in their mid 30s, the official said.
According to him, all species of seahorses in India are classified under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making their sale, purchase, and any form of utilisation illegal and punishable.
Furthermore, under Export Policy, the export of wild animals and marine species, including their parts and products, is strictly prohibited. Consequently, the seahorses were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, in conjunction with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, it was noted.
DRI sources said that on August 4, 2024, following a meticulously planned operation, the key figure orchestrating the smuggling operation was apprehended here.
“This individual was instrumental in coordinating the procurement and shipment of the seahorses to Singapore. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to unravel the broader smuggling network operating between India and Southeast Asian countries,” he added.
The DRI official said the demand for dried seahorses in Southeast Asian markets is primarily driven by their use in traditional medicine, gourmet cuisine, and as ornamental species for aquariums.
In traditional Chinese medicine, seahorses are prized for their supposed health benefits, while they are also considered a delicacy in some culinary traditions. Additionally, their unique appearance makes them popular among marine enthusiasts, he added.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
