Poacher (2023) s01e01 Episode Script

1
DFO Sir
DFO Sir.
- DFO Sir.
- Back off.
DFO Sir!
Sir, I've been a forest watcher
for 30 years - I protect the forest.
ButI've been involved in the
murder of elephants.
Aruku - you're drunk.
Don't bother the DFO, go away.
Sir, I've already talked to the press,
they know everything. It'll come out today.
They'll kill me if they discover I'm ratting on them.
I have to hide now, my family's life is ruined.
Who are the poachers?
The boss is Raaz, he works as an
alcohol supplier at a street bar.
I know of Raaz - he used to poach.
But he's been inactive for years.
I heard he reformed.
'Reformed.' You can say that
about some poachers.
But Raaz can't resist his violent urges.
He gets off on killing
the biggest animals.
- Who else?
- There's Poyya Varghese, and Ivan Das.
They won't stop until all of the
elephants are gone, and the forest dies.
I can't take it anymore. I know
I'm going to suffer, but I need to fix this.
At least in my next life,
I need to escape from this hell.
You have to stop Raaz - he's gone mad.
The way he slaughters them
How does he slaughter them?
- How many have arrived since Tuesday?
- I counted 68.
There should be a lot more.
And they want to fucking
develop this land more?
- Begin dawn-to-dusk observations.
- Okay.
Get Gautam on it too - I don't care
if you have to sleep out here.
Either there's a migration issue,
or we're growing sloppy in our observations.
- Yeah Harish, long time
- Madam, can you talk?
Is it bad news?
Always. I wanted to ask - have you
heard of any problems in your area?
- What kind of problems?
- Anything.
I have a low leafbird count in my bird sanctuary,
can you help me with that?
Elephant poachers are operating
in Thundathil Range.
Elephant poachers?
What are you talking about?
There hasn't been poaching in these hills
for two decades - what have you heard?
We need to meet.
So what have you got?
Aruku's an old forest-watcher
in Malayattoor.
He shows up and confesses
to the Division Forest Officer
that he witnessed the
murder of five elephants.
But he says they may have poached up to
18 tuskers recently, under everyone's noses.
That's what this article says.
Three jeeps were seen heading
to Raaz's village, to arrest him.
Raaz? That guy's been
inactive for years.
That's what everyone thinks.
- Don't bother, they won't find him in Kuttumpuzha.
- Meaning?
Meaning, whoever conducted the raid,
doesn't know how to do their job.
They announced Raaz's name in town,
before raiding his place.
- Raaz heard about it and fled.
- Are you kidding me?
Do you pay me to kid around?
- So where's Raaz now?
- That's why I called you, my dear.
I'm hungry.
Really?
- Raaz is hiding in Adimali.
- So close? How do you know?
Because he came to my bar,
took a few swigs of booze
- and said he's going to hide in Adimali.
- He told you, just like that?
I'm a bartender, I have two functions.
Get people sloshed,
and then listen to their nonsense.
But this Raazhe's a maniac.
Doesn't give a damn about anything.
Babu - how the fuck could this
have happened, under your watch?
What can I say? We raided Raaz's place, and
his accomplice's, but couldn't find anyone.
Why the hell did you announce it and
alert the locals before going in?
- Raaz is in Adimali.
- Adimali? You're sure?
Unless you know better?
Why are you telling me this?
You could have nabbed him yourself.
I don't care who busts him!
You have a team, go there now.
If they get away, it'll send a clear message
to other poachers, waiting for their turn.
And then it'll be open
season on elephants in India.
And we lose everything
we've been fighting for.
I'm sorry Mala, for all of this.
Raaz!
Raaz!
- Damnvigilance officers.
- Clear, Sir.
What the hell, he's our man!
Is that right, Babu?
I don't see him in your custody.
Why don't you scientists stick to managing
the jungle - we'll deal with the bad guys.
- Like hell, it's our case.
- Sir!
- Yeah.
- It's still hot!
- Where's Raaz?
- Sir, I haven't seen Raaz since yesterday.
And you're the second group
to come looking for him.
- Who were the others?
- Forest vigilance officers.
And they weren't subtle about it.
Is everyone in Kerala looking for him?
So we have a news article that
details the confession from a poacher.
A handful of botched up raids,
under your charge
including one yesterday at Adimali,
where we had solid intel.
All the accused absconding.
And no more leads?
Sir, all of this poaching happened
before I was DFO.
- It clearly belongs to my predecessor.
- But it's your mess to clean up, Adil.
Sir, I'm suspending a handful of
Deputy Range officers - including Babu.
Either he's working with them
and tipping them off
or has made a serious error in judgment.
Regardless, he's out.
- Do you need help?
- Sir, I've activated a dozen field teams.
And we're tracking the phone
numbers from Aruku's CDRs.
They would have ditched
those phones, ages ago.
Do we have anything else to go on?
Sir, Aruku gave us one more name -
Morris Finn.
He's a known dealer from years ago,
Trivandrum based.
We also have a nice big article
in The Guardian
which is not easy press to get.
It describes what will happen
if the elephants go
The ecosystem will collapse, and within a
few years, Kerala will be as polluted as Delhi.
And the children in Kerala will suffer
the loss of half of their lung capacity
like the children in Delhi.
AdilI got a call from the Forest Minister,
ordering me to probe this case.
I'm doing it, but you
need to cooperate
and let us help you solve this.
Unless you want to lose the remaining
elephants under your protection?
I'll do it.
But my way, with my team.
Quietlyso there is no
internal sabotage, no leaks.
Even you two won't know
what's happening.
One more thing - once I start,
I won't stop until we have them.
Okay.
And after reports that dozens
of elephants have been poached
the legislative assembly is demanding an
inquiry into the Forest Department's role in this.
A department that's been moving at
a snails pace to solve this crime.
- Hello?
- Is this Mala Jogi?
Yes.
This is Kishore Kumar.
Principle Chief Conservator of
Yes Sir, of course, I know who you are.
Well, I don't know you, but
our Chief Wildlife Warden, and your Field Director
Neel Banerjeethey told me about you.
You know about this
poaching case in Malayattoor?
Yes Sir, I know what I read.
And you're the one who told our team
about Raaz being in Adimali?
Yes Sir, uhat least he was
before he moved on.
Well, I want you on this investigation.
Sir, I would love to, but I am stationed
in Thattekad, at the bird sanctuary.
Here, talk to your Field Director.
- Malaall well?
- Yes, Sir.
I know you've earned your
calm life in the bird sanctuary
but we need you back,
and on this full time.
I've already cleared it with your DFO.
You're officially reassigned.
Thank you, Sir.
- Can you come to us immediately?
- Yes, Sir.
- You can't go in.
- Neel Sir called me.
Wait here.
Hey Mala
What are you doing? Come in.
- Sir, the Chief Wildlife Warden is here?
- Sit.
Sit.
Sowe're in deep shit.
There hasn't been elephant poaching
in Kerala since early 90's.
And with only 6000 elephants left here
and we have just lost 18 sub adults
under our watch
it is the worst incident
I have ever witnessed.
We have come up with nothing
after Aruku's confession
and more elephants are at risk.
Now legislature is on our back.
We are getting all the international
attention because of this fuck up.
Sir, I fed the deputy range officer
solid intel on Raaz
- I know.
- but
He botched it.
All Tunda range officers are suspended.
Local sections, and the beat officers.
And that is why you are here.
You did good work.
You have a reputation
more arrests and convictions
than anyone else in the department.
You know these villages like the
back of your hand - and the people in it.
Sir, I thought I did. But I hadn't heard
of any criminal activity
But you know their histories and habits.
I need some help on analysis.
This case will live and die
on data analysis.
So I need someone who'll
buckle down and do the work.
Call data records of Aruku the confessor.
As well as the absconding accused,
from their phone numbers.
Aruku is low level, just a guide.
He never pulled the trigger.
Nor did he sell the raw ivory.
But he dealt with all of these poachers.
We have their names and numbers,
with their known associates.
But all of their phones are switched off.
I have a cold that gets worse at night.
Sir, I'll see what I can do.
The DFO's head is on the block.
If you don't solve it, we're all finished.
- Morris Finn?
- Hmm, a dealer.
His number was found
all over Raaz's log.
Yes Sir, from years back.
He would buy raw ivory to be
carved and sell it to end-users.
This feels like a huge racket,
not some one-off.
It must be the Chinese buyers.
But I don't know how they opened up
the smuggling routes again
That could have gone worse.
Not much.
If we catch these guys,
we'll keep our jobs. Otherwise
Sir, good news - the Trivandrum DFO has found
a lead on Morris Finn, through her informants.
And she's pursuing it.
Great. In fact, I was thinking of
making Dina team-leader there
if we get more leads from Trivandrum.
Hello? Yes
There are a lot of active
government investigations.
The Forest Department; the WCCB
the Vigilance Team; the Intelligence Bureau,
and who knows how many more.
They're all independent,
interfering with each other.
Too many hunters
hunting the same animal.
Nothing is getting solved.
And the police don't care enough to help.
So you can consider it all your own.
Assemble a tight team.
Only peopleyou trust with your life.
But you are to report to me directly -
not anyone else.
The chain of command is
non-functioning right now.
I'll take all the responsibilities,
if anything happens.
Whatever resources you need,
ask me.
Yes, Sir.
Great.
There are still too many raids
taking place - everyone's scared.
There's so much pressure on
local officials to solve this
- so they just want to make arrests.
- Well now, nobody will talk
- What's that sound?
- I'll call you back.
- What's happening?
- Some case.
I thought you were
at the bird sanctuary?
I've been ordered off of it.
It's okay Ma, it's just paperwork.
- I need to borrow Uncle's car for a few days.
- Sure.
By the way, the dog trust called, asking if
you're serious about getting another puppy?
I'll take care of it.
I'm Dina, the Divisional Forest Officer
here in Trivandrum.
- Morris Finn?
- Not here, I don't know where he is.
- Is he your husband?
- Yes.
- What's happening?
- Someone tell me where Morris Finn is.
He's wanted in a poaching case.
- He's your son?
- That's right.
- You have no right to barge in here.
- Madam, there's no one here.
Any contraband?
Mrs Finn, you're coming with us.
Auntie, when your son shows up, tell him
to surrender if he wants to help his wife.
Otherwise, I'm arresting and charging her.
I'm sure she has knowledge of his ivory dealings.
So let her do some prison time.
- What's happening?
- Let go of me.
We didn't do anything!
- Do you have any evidence?
- More than enough.
What did we do wrong?
Oh no - my heart. Help me!
- Mama!
- Get her to a hospital, now.
Hey Mala, I'll call you back.
- Dr. Joseph?
- Yes.
Please, Sir, this way.
- The snake-bite expert.
- You're Doctor?
- Joseph.
- Thank you for coming so quickly.
What happened?
Doctor, we woke up in the
middle of the night to his screams.
We saw him pressing a wound,
while a snake slithered away.
He then passed out.
- What did the snake look like?
- It was black.
- Did it have white stripes?
- I didn't see it clearly.
Yes, it did have white stripes.
- UhDoctor, where's the bite?
- On the left palmthere.
Yeah.
- Is your home small?
- Yes, three tiny rooms.
- Do you have a lot of junk lying around?
- Yes, too much. Why?
He's critical - I don't know if
he'll make it through the night.
We were in fact going to pull the oxygen,
when one of the nurses mentioned you.
- 'The Miracle Snakebite Doctor'.
- I leave the miracles to God.
I just deal in science.
It looks like a krait snake bite, Doctor.
Keep him on the ventilator for two days.
And keep a flow of anti-venom,
that'll help his fight.
- Alright.
- What you're doing with him is just fine.
Right now his muscles are in shock,
that's why his jaw is shut tight.
But he'll be alright.
And don't take him to
a faith healer, understand?
This doctor will save him.
And clean up your place.
If you leave junk lying around,
snakes will move into a dark corner.
They're just like us,
they look for a home
and defend themselves
when frightened. Alright?
Good night.
- Doctor, what did he say?
- Don't worry, we're doing our best
- Are you sure you want to do this, Sir?
- Yeahshe came into my home.
- Hello?
- I'm going in.
- See you soon.
- Yeah.
I'm Morris, here to meet the DFO.
Morris Finn.
You did the right thing by surrendering.
Who says I'm surrendering?
But whatever you think I did,
leave my family alone.
If you want to talk to me, here I am.
- And get me a coffee.
- Poachers don't make demands here.
- You have nothing on me.
- Is that right?
You've been named in a case of
over a dozen elephant killings
as having purchased
raw ivory from poachers
which alone is punishable by
7 years in prison.
And then you manufactured
handicrafts with the ivory.
You have quite a reputation.
This isn't the first time your name's come up -
this used to be your trade in the 90's too.
I don't know what you're talking about.
- Unlock your phone.
- Why should I?
I know what you're thinking.
You've never dealt with a woman
in a position of authority before.
And so you feel you can
dish out commands.
Actually, you're wrong -
my wife's a dictator.
Morris, I'll make it easy for you.
Give up your colleagues,
and I'll reduce the charges against you.
This is the best deal
you're going to get, understand?
Madam, his lawyer's here.
Tell him to wait.
That would be my lawyer.
- Go talk to him.
- Not interested.
Are you sure?
What are you doing here?
Is Nimu okay?
- Yeah, she's fine.
- Then?
Late nightI thought I'd
bring you dinner.
- Wait in my office, I'll come.
- Okay.
DFO Madam? I'm Morris Finn's lawyer
was that your husband?
- What do you want?
- We need to talk.
- Perhaps I can join you for your dinner?
- No need.
It'll be worth your while.
Come over here.
- So, are we done here?
- We're just getting started.
Is that right? So you don't
want to settle this peacefully?
I already offered you my deal.
Give me the names and
addresses of your associates
your buyers, carriers,
gang members, and clients
You entered my home and
threatened my wife - how dare you?
I'll tell you what - as per the law,
I'll keep you here for 24 hours.
If you feel like talking during
this time, let me know, okay?
You can't do this to me!
- You have to ask her out!
- Okay fine, tell me what to do
- Hi.
- Posed as a doctor again?
First tell me, is the second half
as 'brilliant' as the first?
It's illegal, what you do.
You're a computer programmer.
And you've never bent the rules
for a noble end?
I just saved a man's life,
what have you done in the last hour?
You get off on the power.
It's not my fault everyone
hates snakes.
Shit, sorry.
- Mala, sorry, I got held up with something.
- Where are you?
- In Delhi.
- Are you out?
Yeah, Nupu's birthday. We promised
we'd take her to a movie.
Which movie?
You don't want to know -
it's unwatchable. Tell me?
You heard about this elephant
poaching case in Malayattoor?
Yeah, embarrassing.
I thought elephant poaching
was totally contained back home.
So did I - I can't even sleep.
Neel Banerjee put me on it, and I need
your help deciphering CDRs - discreetly.
We need to figure out
who's calling who, and why.
Informers?
All traditional routes of
human intelligence are shot.
Too many botched raids and
clueless teams in the field.
Whose CDRs?
The confessor - a forest watcher
named Aruku
and the absconding poachers,
and known associates.
I've tried to analyze them,
but it's just too much data.
You can't do it manually,
you need a specific software.
Software that you have access to?
I'll get back to you.
- Who's this?
- Mukesh?
- You tell me, you're the one who called.
- My name's Alan Joseph.
I'm with the Wildlife Trust of India,
Crime Control division.
A friend in the Mumbai Police
gave me your number.
Our job is to apprehend wildlife criminals.
I need a license for your
CDR analysis software, immediately.
I'll pay for it, but I need it now.
Are you this 'snake expert' Alan?
Yeah, I rescue them.
And I'm building an app on
how to classify snakes, and uh
how to avoid them, and which
hospitals to find anti-venoms in.
Who do the CDR's belong to?
Suspected elephant poachers.
- I'll send the licence over.
- Thank you, and your bank details too.
Forget it, just catch these fuckers.
You've held me in here for hours,
I don't know anything!
Unlock your phone.
With the evidence I have
I can charge you, your wife,
and perhaps your mother.
Let's see what happens.
Wait.
I'll show you something
No thanks. I am not a fool to
let you erase evidence.
What's this receipt for?
A 75 kg package was sent
via railway parcel service,
to an address in Delhi.
What's this, hmm?
You stupid bitch
you have no idea
who you're dealing with.
I'm not some illiterate forest dweller -
keep that in mind.
So I'll tell you what
we're going to do.
We'll pick up whoever's
at this Delhi address
and offer him the same deal.
And if he gives us your name
we'll make sure you and your
family get the maximum sentence.
Or, if you're willing to cooperate,
we'll lock him up instead.
Think about it, and let me know.
Okayask your questions,
but leave my family alone.
Deal. Was this 75 kg of ivory?
Yeah.
Which you purchased?
Yeah.
From whom?
Raaz.
And who ordered it from you?
- A woman in Delhi - Poonam Verma.
- Who's she?
Some art dealer.
She has a gallery there.
But she sells ivory on the side.
To whom?
I don't know, another guy
manages the sale.
His name is Ravi Don.
He deals directly with the clients.
Where is he now?
I don't know, he travels a lot,
often out of the country.
China?
MadamI never harmed any elephant.
I just buy the raw stock,
get it carved, and send it off.
And if it wasn't me,
someone else would do it.
Where are the carvers?
They're just simple artists.
- They don't know anything.
- 'Simple'?
They're carving into tusks that were
ripped out of an elephant's head.
And have these 'simple' carvers
ever asked you
to remove the tusks after the elephants
die from old age, peacefully?
Eh?
Where's the carving workshop?
Hey everyone.
Here's to Nupu
One of our long standing and
passionate wildlife protectors.
And sorryalso a dear friend.
- Happy birthday.
- Thank you.
- Sir, do you have a second?
- Sure.
- Uhh, can we talk?
- Yeah.
In private?
And Sir, Neel Banerjee
he's overseeing this.
Wasn't Banerjee with RAW intelligence?
- This is that Kerala ivory case?
- Yeah.
And you think you're ready?
- Can you handle it?
- Absolutely, Sir.
I've done my share of admin work.
I'd love to go into the field, for a change.
I really thought we'd stomped out
ivory smuggling for good.
Probably some lazy patrolling
going on in the region.
I don't know, Sir.
And if Banerjee is working
on it himself, it must be serious.
- There could be real danger.
- What danger?
I never told you about
my last ivory poaching case.
No.
20 years ago, when we
started this NGO
I exposed all the trafficking routes
across the Indo-Nepal-China borders.
I followed the trail and came
face-to-face with the Yakuza.
The Japanese mafia?
The Triads were also involved.
I barely got out with my life.
But the case revealed that the demand
for ivory came from the Far East.
After that, we shut
those trafficking routes
and effectively ended
ivory poaching in India.
They must have found new routes.
Sir, are you telling me
not to do this?
I can't proceed without
your permission, so
Wildlife crime is one of our remits.
Our donors will expect us to act.
So if you want to go, I won't stop you.
But watch your back.
I'll be fine, Sir.
You remember this?
- Of course.
- This officer was a friend of mine.
Look, these ivory poachers are as
brutal as narcotics and arms dealers.
And now I'm hearing that the ivory trade
is funding international terrorism.
So take my advice
be discreet, keep your name out of it.
Work quietly, under the radar,
in the shadows.
Of course, Sir.
But I'm just number crunching.
I'll go to Kerala tomorrow,
and be back in a few days.
Alright.