The Certificate of Ownership issued to actor Mohanlal for the two pairs of elephant tusks and 13 ivory artefacts found in his possession was illegal and invalid and hence cannot be treated as a ground for permitting withdrawal of prosecution against him, argued two public interest litigants.
The litigants, A.A. Poulose and James Mathew, raised the contention before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court 3, Perumbavoor, on Tuesday while opposing the plea of the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) to withdraw prosecution proceedings against the actor.
The Kerala High Court had last week permitted the duo to intervene in the case as third party interveners to oppose the petition to withdraw the prosecution. Incidentally, the APP had earlier moved the withdrawal petition stating that the conduct of the case would be a futile exercise and wastage of precious time of the court.
