Bahraich (UP): Ace golfer Jyoti Randhawa was arrested on Wednesday on charges of poaching in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve protected area in Uttar Pradesh, an official said.

A .22 rifle was seized from Randhawa, whose full name is Jyotinder Singh Randhawa, field officer Ramesh Pandey said.

Pandey said that Randhawa owns a farm in Motipur. For the last three days, he was found roaming around in the area in his vehicle and the staff was suspicious of his moves. On Tuesday morning, he was intercepted inside the forest.

A vehicle bearing a Haryana registration number and other equipment were also recovered from him. Another person, identified as Mahesh Virajdar, was arrested with Randhawa near Motipur range of Katarniaghat, Pandey said.

A red Isuzu SUV and a rifle in Randhawa’s name have been seized. A skin of wild boar, range finders and binoculars have also been recovered from his vehicle.

Interrogation and further legal action against Randhawa are being initiated by the Katarniaghat DFO, he said.

Randhawa was ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking several times between 2004 and 2009. Of late, Randhawa has also started participating in international shooting events.

He was married to model and actress Chitrangada Singh. The couple divorced in 2014.