The ivory tusk case has come back to bite Mohanlal once again after the Kerala High Court held that the ownership certificate issued for ivory in the actor's possession by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife is illegal. The government order issued in the actor's favour was also struck down by the court while allowing a petition filed by former Forest Officer James Mathew, who had challenged the grant of ownership.
Earlier, on July 22, 2011, the Income Tax Department raided Mohanlal’s residence in Kochi and seized four elephant tusks and 13 ivory artefacts. According to James' submission, at the time of the seizure, the actor did not possess a certificate of ownership as mandated under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. He accused that the certificate was granted later by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in collusion with Mohanlal, which he contended was illegal and in violation of the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. He also submitted that no case had been registered for the alleged illegal possession of the 13 ivory artefacts.
The court held that the ownership certificates issued by the government in 2016-17 were legally unenforceable. While quashing the government orders and the ownership certificates, the Bench declared them illegal and unenforceable.
However, the court observed that the State government is at liberty to issue a fresh notification as per Section 44 of the 1972 Act for conferring the immunity envisaged under the provision to persons or classes of persons covered under the statutory provision.
On the work front, Mohanlal is currently shooting for Drishyam 3, directed by Jeethu Joseph. The actor’s next release will be Vrusshabha, a multilingual period epic, slated to hit screens on November 6.
