Archive · 28 May 2025
Mumbai Man Booked for Possessing Rare Star Tortoises
Imagine some special turtles called Indian star tortoises.
It's against the law to keep these turtles as pets.
Someone in Mumbai, Vinay Vaghela, was found with two of them.
Forest officials came to his house, took the turtles, and arrested him.
The law is called the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
He was taken to court and will now be looked after by the forest department for a few days.
Officials also found more turtles at a pet shop after questioning the owner.
Forest officials seized two Indian star tortoises from a residence in Grant Road, Mumbai.
Vinay Vaghela, 57, was booked for possessing the protected species.
The action was taken under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Vaghela was presented before a local court and remanded to three days of forest department custody.
Two more tortoises were seized after questioning a pet shop owner.
- Who
- Forest officials, activists from PAWS-Mumbai, Amma Care Foundation, OIPA, and Vinay Vaghela were involved.
- What
- Forest officials seized two Indian star tortoises from a home and booked Vinay Vaghela.
- When
- Recently
- Where
- Grant Road, Mumbai
- Why
- Vinay Vaghela was keeping protected Indian star tortoises as pets, violating the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
- Protected Species
- Indian star tortoises
- Location of Seizure
- Grant Road flat, Mumbai
- Individual Booked
- Vinay Vaghela (57)
- Law Violated
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- Custody
- Three days, forest department