The Ernakulam District Court on Tuesday sentenced two people to three years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 on each for encroaching upon the forest reserve in Munnar division. The case that dates back to 2005.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also registered a case against both the accused for allegedly encroaching the forest areas of Nedumkandam, Adimali and other places in 2005. The accused, identified as Gireesh and Siby Jose, also killed a tiger and attempted to sell off its skin.
However, the state forest officials seized the skin from the residence of one of the accused on July 22, 2005. The trial court has acquitted four others, who were named in the case.