Thiruvananthapuram: Popular Malayalam film actor Mohanlal is facing a vigilance investigation, following a complaint about the actor possessing ivory at his Kochi residence.
The Muvattupuzha vigilance court on Saturday ordered a quick verification into the complaint that the actor was keeping the ivory in violation of existing wildlife rules. The investigation will also cover those who passed on the ivory to the actor.
Also facing investigation is former forest minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan who held the forest department portfolio in the previous United Democratic Front government.
The petitioner, A. Paulose, had pointed out that the law mandated that those who possessed ivory and such illegal items should be arrested immediately, and that arrests had been made in other similar cases. He alleged that the actor was able to retain the ivory because of his influence over those in power.
The case goes back four years, when income tax officials had found the ivory during a search at the actor’s house in 2012. This in turn prompted the forest department officials to move against the actor. A first information report was filed later, naming Mohanlal as the first accused.
The case then took a twist as the then forest minister, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, permitted the actor to keep the ivory, explaining that the actor had permission from the forest authorities to do so.
