Mohanlal declares 10 elephant tusks, 13 ivory idols: All about the case and what happens next

Actor Mohanlal has declared that he has 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory idols in his legal battle with the Kerala Forest Department over the alleged illegal possession of these items.

Officials at the Malayattoor divisional forest office told news agency PTI on Monday, July 6, that Mohanlal made the declaration under the department's amnesty scheme. The initiative allows individuals to declare unregistered wildlife articles in their possession to avoid legal action.

What are the ivory items under Mohanlal’s possession?

Mohanlal earlier declared that he possessed four elephant tusks, and has now disclosed another six. The veteran actor said that most of the tusks were inherited or received as gifts.

The ivory idols declared by Mohanlal include those of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Tirupati Balaji, with a total weight of almost 46 kilos.

What is the case against Mohanlal?

The matter dates back to 2011 after an Income Tax Department raid at the Drishyam actor’s residences led to discovery of elephant tusks and ivory idols.

Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, any individual possessing ivory or specified wildlife articles must have valid ownership certificates issued in accordance with the law.

The forest department registered a case against Mohanlal, who has maintained over the years that he acquired the articles legally and never made an attempt to hide them, as per Live Mint.

To regularise possession, the state government issued notifications in 2015 and 2016 that allowed Mohanlal to declare the ivory articles. The Chief Wildlife Warden granted ownership certificates on the basis of the notifications to the Lucifer star.

The Kerala government later attempted to withdraw the case, but the move was rejected by the trial court. The Kerala High Court upheld that decision later, stating that legal proceedings against Mohanlal should continue.

Last year, the high court cancelled the ownership certificates of Mohanlal’s ivory articles, setting aside a government order on the issue.

It stated that the notifications had not been published in the Official Gazette, meaning they were legally invalid. At the same time, the court clarified that the state government can issue a fresh notification after ensuring that the prescribed legal procedure is followed.

Following the high court’s ruling, the state government introduced a one-time amnesty scheme, which Mohanlal has now availed.

What happens next?

DNA tests will be conducted to verify the authenticity of the ivory idols and the tusks.

Officials have recorded Mohanlal’s statement as well. They will examine the supporting documents that he submitted to check whether the actor meets the eligibility criteria under the amended rules.

The fresh application does not restore the ownership certificates cancelled by the High Court; rather it marks the start of a new administrative process under a revised framework.

Petitioners have challenged the new notification before the Kerala High Court, arguing that the amended rules could dilute the safeguards given under the Wildlife Protection Act.

While the court has declined to stay the new notification, it has stated that any declarations accepted under the scheme will be subject to the result of the pending petitions.