New Delhi, March 9 – A case has been filed against a south Delhi five-star hotel for serving sea cucumber – a protected marine animal, a statement by the environment ministry said Tuesday.

Known commonly as blackfish, the highly protected species under the Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was seized by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) from the kitchen of a restaurant of the hotel situated on Lodhi Road in August 2009.

The seized material was sent to Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, for analysis and the sea cucumbers were identified as Actinopyga miliaris.

‘The restaurant manger and proprietor of Agrim Sales, supplier of the sea cucumber, were arrested last month. They were produced in the court and were given bail on surety bond of Rs.40,000 each,’ the statement said.

‘The WCCB has filed the complaint against the five-star hotel and five other senior management officials and a trader accused in the case before the competent magistrate,’ it said.