After 7 years, forest department files charge sheet against actor Mohanlal for ivory possession

The forest department has filed an indictment against actor Mohanlal over the alleged illegal possession of ivory tusks. The officials filed the report at Perumbavoor magistrate's court, seven years after it was seized from his residence in Kerala.

The Income Tax (IT) department, while conducting a raid back in June 2012, at the actor's residence at Thevara in Ernakulam district of the state had seized four ivory tusks. Possession and transfer of ivory are illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act.

It was later revealed that Mohanlal had kept the ivory under the license of two other people. The actor's explanation was that he had bought ivory from K Krishnakumar and P Krishnakumar for an amount of Rs 65,000. The forest department said that the tusks belonged to K Krishnakumar's elephant Krishnankutty, which had passed away.

The charge sheet was filed after the Kerala High Court questioned over the delay in proceedings of the case. The Kerala HC has given three weeks' time period to the magistrate court on why the case has not yet been settled.

Initially, Kodanad forest department had filed a case over the issue but later cancelled it. The government then amended the existing law and gave permission to the actor for the possession of ivory, this was granted by then forest minister of Kerala Thiruvanjoor Radhakrishnan.

But a man named AA Poulose from Ernakulam had approached the HC seeking to revoke the possession certificate for Ivory issued to Mohanlal by the principal chief conservator.