Ivory Possession Case: Kerala High Court Serves Notice To Mohanlal

According to media reports, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday served a notice to Malayalam superstar Mohanlal based on a petition requesting cancellation of permission, granting his possession of elephant tusks.

After a former Forest Service official filed the petition, Chief Justice S Manikumar ordered a notice to be served to the superstar. He also posted the case for further hearing after two weeks.

Following an Income Tax raid at the actor's home in Kochi in 2011, his possession of elephant tusks came to light and the Forest Department took up the case.

After the Forest Department filed their charge sheet against the Lucifer actor at the Perumbavoor CJM Court in September, the issue now surfaced in the High Court.

It was pointed out by Mohanlal in his affidavit that the case does not have any merit as he had already received an ownership certificate for the ivory from the Forest department.

It was also stated in his affidavit that petitions are being filed against him, with an aim to gain publicity as he is a popular figure. Mohanlal also stated that it was a mischievous act by the Forest Department to file a charge sheet almost seven years after the matter actually came up.

Though the actor has an 'ownership certificate', rules say that possession of elephant tusks by anyone is against the Forest and Wildlife Act.

On the work front, a poster of his next film 'Big Brother' was recently revealed. The Siddique directorial is jointly produced by Siddique, Jenso Jose, Philipose K. Joseph, Manu Maliackal and Vaishak Rajan under the banners S Talkies, Shaman International, and Vaishaka Cynyma. The film is being produced on a budget of Rs 25 crore. Besides Big Brother, Mohanlal's Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham is in the post-production stage.