Jadeja fined Rs 20,000 for taking selfie with Gir lions

Without waiting for the final report of inquiry ordered by principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), J A Khan, reach his table, forest department officials in Junagadh have let cricketer Ravindra Jadeja off the hook, by fining him Rs20,000, and bringing curtains down on the cricketer`s selfie episode inside the Gir Sanctuary.

Junagadh officials did not even insist on Jadeja’s presence to record his statement in person, but accepted a statement given by the cricketer’s father-in-law, Hardev Singh Solanki, who carried a power-of-attorney, and also paid the fine.

Jadeja stated in the power of attorney that he was not present in the state, reports Times of India.

Solanki was not part of the group who had got down from vehicles in the lion safari on June 14 and had a photo-shoot in the sanctuary against the backdrop of a pride of lions lounging nearby. Jadeja had been accompanied by his wife Riva and friends, and also by two forest department officials, when the violation of law took place.

Officials in the forest department said inquiry had been initiated on June 15, and the final report of the inquiry was yet to be cleared by A P Singh, the chief conservator of forest (CCF), who will then send the final report to the Khan.

Khan, the PCCF (wildlife) was not available for comment, but Singh, the chief conservator, confirmed that the PCCF hadn’t yet seen the final official report of the inquiry.

‘I cannot reveal the findings of the report. The report is finalized and will be sent to the PCCF, by this week,’ said Singh.

The inquiry now becomes questionable as once an inquiry is ordered into a violation of the Forest Act, action is taken only after final report is submitted, said a forest official. But, in this case, Jadeja has already paid the fine in absentia, and he cannot be punished twice for the same offence. The official also questioned how Junagadh officials could allow Jadeja’s father-in-law to give a statement on behalf of Jadeja.