The alleged illegal possession of ivory by actor Mohanlal, an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, cannot be viewed lightly as the larger interest of the country is affected by the commission of a wildlife offence, according to a trial court.
Rejecting the petition initiated by the State government to withdraw the prosecution against the actor, Anju Cletus, Judicial First Class Magistrate-3, Perumbavoor, noted recently that the withdrawal of prosecution will be against the broader interest of the country if the ownership certificate for ivory granted to Mohanlal is found to be not in accordance with the law.
The court noted that the prosecution filed the withdrawal petition without revealing that the ownership certificate’s validity was challenged before the Kerala High Court. The fact that the petition was pending before the court was “wilfully or otherwise not disclosed in the withdrawal petition.” The prosecution also could not produce before the court the gazette notification regarding the declaration of possession of the elephant tusks by Mohanlal and the ownership certificate issued to him. The prosecution could not satisfy the court that the ownership certificate issued to the actor was valid and reliable, the court said.
