Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16: A vigilance court on Saturday ordered a quick verification on a complaint that Malayalam actor Mohanlal is in illegal possession of elephant tusks.
The complaint traces back to an Income Tax department raid in 2011 on the actor’s home in Kochi, during which four tusks were recovered and later seized by the forest department.
The tusks, however, were returned to Mohanlal after the department gave the actor, the first respondent in the case, time to declare its possession before the authorised officials.
Former minister for forests Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and forest department officials are among the respondents in the case.
The court, acting on a complaint by activist A Poulose, directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to submit a report by November 28.
The complainant had earlier approached the Kerala High Court seeking a CBI probe in the case, which he claimed was derailed by officials to favour the actor.
Mohanlal, for his part, has stated that he purchased the tusks from two of his friends and also produced the documents of ownership.
The petitioner, however, maintained that handing over or purchasing tusks was illegal and proceedings in the case were influenced by the actor’s stature.
In March, the high court had closed proceedings against Mohanlal on another petition filed by the All Kerala Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Protection Council. The court stated that possession of the tusks was legalised by a government order.
Comments
Add new comment