HC: Prima facie, case pending against actor

Kochi: The high court has observed that prima facie there is a case pending against actor Mohanlal in the ivory possession case. A division bench is hearing a PIL by Aluva native Paulose A A against Lal and forest department.
The court asked that if elephant tusks have been seized, hadn’t a crime already been committed. After the crime was committed, how can legal sanctity be given to the actor by saying that he did not have certificate of permission to possess elephant tusks. The Meckappala forest station of the Kodanad range had registered a case regarding the violation of Section 31 of the Wildlife Act, the court observed.

It asked the forest department to explain the legal clearance given to the actor for possession of ivory.

The petition said that as on the date of seizure, Mohanlal did not have any legal right to possess the four elephant tusks.