The elephant, Champa, was found by volunteers from animal rights group Friends of Animals (FoA). The elephant was allegedly being used for collecting alms by the “sadhus,” and had blisters on its feet as a result of walking on tar roads.

Aditya Paranjape of Friends for Animals said that volunteers from the organisation had found the elephant begging on the roads in Loni Kalbhor, accompanied by three men dressed as sadhus. “The elephant has blisters on its feet due to walking on the tar roads, and is finding it difficult to walk,” said Paranjape.

FoA has alleged that the men were unable to furnish authentic ownership documents. “The certificate they produced showed that the elephant belongs to a circus called Grand Circus in Bangalore. The certificate also mentions that it is non-transferable, which means that it is not valid in Pune. They claim the elephant was gifted to them, but they have only a handwritten document without any seal or signature of an official organisation,” Paranjape said.

Assistant police inspector at Loni Kalbhor police station Madhukar Gite said that the documents had been scrutinized. “The current documents do not contain any details on ownership. But even if they are legal owners, the treatment of the animal and the purpose for which it was used is against the law. The first information report (FIR) has now been lodged under the appropriate sections of the law,” Gite said.

However, the problem of rehabilitation continues to remain, as the State Government has no infrastructure required for the care and upkeep of the elephants. “There is no shelter in Maharashtra to keep elephants. Even if the elephant is to be sent to the rehabilitation centres in Karnataka or Kerala, we cannot do so unless we receive clear orders for the same from the High Court,” sources from the forest department said. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has volunteered to take care of the elephant. “We will approach the court on Wednesday requesting the transfer of Champa to the SPCA shelter,” said Paranjape.