Kannada 'Bigg Boss' contestant arrested for wearing tiger claw locket

Bengaluru: The sleuths of Karnataka Forest Department arrested Varthur Santhosh, one of the contestants of popular Kannada TV reality show 'Bigg Boss season 10', here for allegedly wearing a locket made of tiger’s claw, police said on Monday.

The forest department sources said that Santhosh was taken into custody from the 'Bigg Boss' reality show set on Sunday late night. He will be produced before the judge by Monday evening.

The action was taken after a complaint was lodged against him which said that wearing of tiger’s claw as a locket is a violation of the Preservation of Wildlife Act. The locket has been seized by the police and sources said that it has been proved prima facie that a tiger's claw was used in the locket.

Santhosh is a farmer who maintains that farming is not all about drudgery but a farmer can also be fashionable also. He nurses the Hallikar breed of oxen and participates in ox racing competitions.

Sources said that if the charges are proved he can be imprisoned for three to seven years. A fine of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 will also be imposed on him.

Santhosh has claimed that he had just purchased the locket from a person and he did not know that it was a real tigers’ claw.

Further investigation is on.