Poaching case: Golfer Jyoti Randhawa's anticipatory bail plea dismissed

New Delhi: A Bahraich court on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of golfer Jyoti Randhawa who was arrested on charges of poaching on December 26.

Bahraich district judge Upendra Kumar dismissed Randhawa's plea which means the golfer of international repute will continue to cool his heels behind bars.

Randhawa, along with former Navy captain Mahesh Virajdar, were travelling in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve's protected area in an Isuzu pick-up truck (HR26 DN 4299). A combined team of forest officials, range staff and STPF (Special Tiger Protection Force) jawans intercepted a vehicle on suspicious accounts in Motipur Range of Katerniaghat. During search operations, a dead fowl, skin of wild boar, .22 bore rifle, binoculars, three empty cartridges, 80 live cartridges, magazine, rangefinder, two mobile searchlight torches, Rs 36,600 cash was recovered from the vehicle. Police slapped serious charges under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927 against the two.

Randhawa, former husband of Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh, was ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking several times between 2004 and 2009.

(With PTI inputs)