Davanagere (Karnataka), Dec 31 (IANS): Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka minister S.S. Mallikarjun has submitted a bail plea in a court in connection with the seizure of 29 wild animals such as spotted deer, black buck, foxes and mongoose from his farmhouse here.

The forest department has booked Mallikarjun and three others - manager, caretaker and another staff of the farmhouse - under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 after a raid last week that led to the seizure.

Mallikarjun is son of veteran Congress leader and sitting MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

He has submitted the bail plea to Second Additional Sessions Court in Davanagere and the court has accepted the petition and adjourned the matter to January 2. Mallikarjun has been made the fourth accused in the case.

Sources said that the authorities have not mentioned the name of Mallikarjun in the case. But, they have mentioned the fourth accused as the farm owner.

Most of the rescued animals were shifted to Anagodu Mini Zoo. However, as black bucks and deers are hyper sensitive, they are presently kept in enclosure and will be shifted to zoos soon, said Deputy Conservator of Forests N.H. Jagannath. Elevan black bucks and seven deers were seized in the raid.

Ruling BJP had staged a protest demanding the arrest of Mallikarjun and urged the forest department to make him accused number one in the case.