Mohanlal seeks to legalize ivory possession: Why a decade-old case is back in the limelight | Today’s news
More than a decade after elephant tusks and ivory artefacts were recovered from Mohanlal’s residence during an income tax raid, the case has resurfaced following the actor’s new move to legalize their possession.
According to PTI, Mohanlal has submitted a fresh application to the Kerala forest department to declare the wildlife items in his possession under the newly amended rules. Forest officials have since recorded his statement as part of the verification process.
The development comes after the Kerala High Court quashed the ownership certificates earlier issued to the actor for the ivory items, effectively reopening the matter.
How did the case begin?
The case dates back to 2011 when the Income Tax department conducted a search at Mohanlal’s residence in Kochi. During the raid, officials found two pairs of elephant tusks and several ivory artifacts.
Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, anyone in possession of ivory or specified wildlife items must have a valid certificate of ownership issued in accordance with the Act.
After retrieving the items, the Kerala forest department registered a case against the actor for allegedly illegally possessing ivory.
Mohanlal has consistently maintained that the ivory items were obtained legally and that he never tried to conceal them.
In order to legalize possession, the Kerala government issued notifications in 2015 and 2016 allowing the actor to declare ivory items. Based on these notices, the Chief Wildlife Warden issued the title deeds to Mohanlal.
However, environmental activists challenged the government’s decision in the Kerala High Court, saying that the mandatory procedure under the Conservation Act was not followed.
Last year, the High Court struck down both the government’s notification and the title deeds, saying the notifications were not published in the Official Gazette and were therefore legally invalid.
At the same time, the court specified that the state can issue a new notification after following the prescribed legal procedure.
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Why has the case resurfaced now?
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Kerala government introduced revised rules giving individuals a one-time opportunity to declare ivory items and certain wildlife trophies in their possession.
According to PTI, Mohanlal has now sought to take advantage of this provision by filing a fresh declaration with the forest department.
Officials have recorded his statement and are expected to verify the ivory items, scrutinize the supporting documents submitted by the actor and determine whether he meets the eligibility criteria under the amended rules.
However, the new application will not automatically resolve the dispute or restore the title deeds that were canceled by the high court. Instead, it marks the beginning of a new administrative process under a revised framework.
Even the modified rules themselves face legal scrutiny. The petitioners challenged the new notification in the Kerala High Court, saying it could weaken the safeguards provided by the Wildlife Conservation Act.
While the court declined to stay the amended rules, it clarified that any declarations accepted under the scheme would continue to depend on the outcome of pending petitions.
For Mohanlal, the latest app is another chapter in a court case that has dragged on for more than a decade. According to PTI, the forest department’s verification process will determine whether the entity can legalize its possession of ivory items under the revised rules, while the final legal opinion will ultimately depend on the Kerala High Court ruling on the validity of these amendments.
