The Delhi Police has arrested a person for allegedly trying to sell an ivory necklace, which he had procured illegally, to BJP leader Maneka Gandhi. Officials said that the accused, who was held four days ago, was unaware of the fact that Gandhi was an influential wildlife activist.

Apparently the victim of a practical joke, the accused  identified as Rohini resident Raj Harmohinder Singh  had received the number from somebody who told him that Gandhi was a businesswoman who dealt in animal pelts and parts. Singh, who did not know anything about his 'customer', was also told that she would give him a handsome sum of money in return.

"He (Singh) did not know me. So, I struck a deal for Rs 8.5 lakh and asked him to come to my house. When he arrived, he found 20 police officers waiting for him," Gandhi told Newsline.

Officials said that he had procured the ivory necklace, sourced from wildlife smugglers, from somebody in the Chandni Chowk area. The police are looking for the person who gave him the necklace.

"The accused was told by someone that there was a businesswoman at 14 Ashoka Road who will give him a good price for the necklace. He then gave him Maneka Gandhi's number," an officer said. When Singh called Gandhi and struck a deal that sounded lucrative enough on October 22, little did he know that he was heading straight into the long arm of the law. Singh has been booked under Sections 39/49/49B/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act at the Parliament Street police station.

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