Actor Mohanlal is set to surrender the ivory in his possession to the Forest Department. He has submitted an application to the department in this regard. The application was filed with the Malayattoor Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), P Karthik, IFS, in March 2025, and it has since been forwarded to the Chief Wildlife Warden for further action.
The surrender of the ivory is set to happen according to the one-time amnesty scheme by the Forest Department after observations of the High Court. After receiving his application, a senior Forest Department official visited Mohanlal's residence in Kochi and conducted an inquiry.
The High Court had earlier cancelled the ownership certificates issued to Mohanlal for two pairs of elephant tusks and 13 ivory handicraft items in his possession. The court ruled that the certificates had not been issued in accordance with the related legal procedures. However, the Division Bench also clarified that the government can issue a fresh notification under Section 40(4) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act in this matter.
The court observed that the state government could issue a notification allowing individuals or specific groups to declare wildlife products in their possession and obtain protection from legal proceedings.
The tusks were discovered during an Income Tax Department raid at Mohanlal's residence in Thevara, Kochi, in August 2011. The case was later handed over to the Forest Department. Then, the government issued an order in 2016 granting Mohanlal ownership of the tusks and the other ivory artifacts.
According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, nobody can possess elephant tusks or other such wildlife articles without the permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden. However, under Section 40(4) of the Act, the government may grant exemptions in special circumstances.
On the work front, Mohanlal's upcoming films include, but are not limited to, Athimanoharam, Khalifa: Part II, Nedumkandam Miracle, and his yet-untitled 367th film.
