Praha - Two Czech entomologists who were arrested in India in June for what the Indian authorities call illegal bug collection will know their verdict only next Monday.
The judge´s final pronouncement was so long that the secretary present at the hearing did not manage to write it all down.
None of the scientists dare to say what the verdict may be.
Postpoponed again
Petr Švácha and Emil Kučera were accused of collecting rare species of insects in the Singalila National Park in Darjeeling allegedly for a commercial purpose.
In an Aktuálně.cz interview both men stated that the bugs they had collected were "certainly for non-commercial purposes and were only valuable to a specialist." Moreover, they deny they would be collecting the insect in a national park.
"We never saw any signs indicating the boundaries of the park and we traveled on the paths used by locals and tourists, moreover in areas that are obviously economically developed - pasture land, timber forests, burned areas, etc. That is prohibited in a national park. We are therefore convinced that we were not in a national park (otherwise it would be a secret trap for tourists), but we have not yet been able to get a map," said the entomologists in the interview.
The verdict should have been issued last week but the court did not make any ruling and adjourned the trial until this Thursday.
Blank sheet of paper
According to the court, the Czech scientists confessed their guilt. But the men claim the Indian authorities misused the document they were given to sign. This was a blank sheet of paper that was supposed to list the scientists´ confiscated property but instead, it seems the Indian authorities put down the scientists´ confession.
The defense claims that both scientists collected bugs for non-commercial purpose even though they lacked the necessary authorization. For that, they face only a fine. Should the judge decide differently, though, both men face three to seven years in prison.
Petr Švácha and Emil Kučera were released on bail on July 25 after a month in prison.
