The Kerala government and renowned actor Mohanlal, the Kerala High Court has quashed the government’s order that granted him ownership rights over elephant tusks seized more than a decade ago.
The court ruled that the government’s decision to withdraw the tusk possession case and grant ownership to Mohanlal was “legally invalid and procedurally flawed.”
A division bench headed by Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar observed that ownership cannot be conferred merely through an executive order — it requires a formal notification, as mandated by law. The court clarified that while the government may issue such a notification if it wishes, the existing order has no legal standing.
The bench further declared that the ownership certificates issued to Mohanlal are void, terming the entire process unlawful.
Since the actor’s appeal is still pending, the court refrained from delving into the merits of the case. Earlier, the Perumbavoor Magistrate Court had cancelled the same government order and directed that Mohanlal face trial, a decision the actor had contested before the High Court.
The controversy traces back to 2011, when Income Tax officials discovered elephant tusks allegedly kept without authorization at Mohanlal’s residence in Ernakulam. The case was later transferred to the Forest Department, which filed a chargesheet naming him as the prime accused. Subsequently, the state government withdrew the case and handed over ownership of the tusks to the actor — a move now struck down by the High Court.
