nagpur in a strong message to those taking poaching of wild animals lightly justice sb shukre at the nagpur bench of bombay high court has rejected the bail application of accused involved in consuming meat of monitor lizard in amravati manoj vasantrao jagtap and several others were involved in killing four monitor lizards for a party at jagtaps farmhouse on july 17 based on statements of coaccused the panchnama drawn out by forest officers and seizures made by them court prima facie supported what was revealed by coaccused maroti waghmare and vilas dahake the dna report is positive stating that large bengal monitor lizard varanus bengalensis listed in part ii of schedule of the wildlife protection act 1972 was consumed justice shukre said that the seriousness of the crime in the case can be further realized if we consider its impact on the larger interest of the society today human society is desperate to get adequate supply of water leave alone unpolluted water and pure air good forest ecosystems are treasure troves of these fundamental resources if they are disturbed or twisted or tweaked human society will be hard put to get these fundamental resources and that will push the human society to the brink of a crisis justice shukre said the large bengal monitor lizard is an animal which is at the intermediate level in the food chain of the forest ecosystem it is both a predator and a prey it feeds on animals smaller than its size and itself serves as a food for the big guns of the forest thus it plays an important role maintaining the balance and health of the forest ecosystem so any act which tantamounts to disturbing or destroying the forest ecosystem the capturing and consuming a wild animal like the monitor lizard by humans is one such act would ultimately adversely affect the societal interest the same court has held in the case of tiger skin trader suraj pal alias chacha had ruled that survival of a healthy forest ecosystem is of seminal importance for survival of mankind the court also asked forest officials to unearth source and the place from where this monitor lizards were procured and the manner in which it has been procured all these aspects are required to be investigated into in an effective manner for this purpose the custodial interrogation can help the investigating officer counsel for accused rs kurekar argued that applicants belong to a class having respect and roots in the society to this justice shukre said such people should be more responsible towards the society additional public prosecutor app sj kadu appeared for the forest department in a nutshell hunting of monitor lizard is an offence punishable under section 51 of the wildlife protection act it has an important role maintaining the balance and health of the forest ecosystem any act of killing the lizard would ultimately adversely affect the societal interest on july 17 forest officials exposed a party