Malayalam superstar Mohanlal declares 10 elephant tusks, 13 ivory artefacts under Kerala's one-time amnesty scheme

Dubai: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has reportedly declared 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory artefacts under the Kerala government's one-time wildlife declaration scheme, a move that comes amid his ongoing legal battle over alleged illegal possession of ivory.

According to forest officials quoted in several news reports including Indian Express, the actor's declaration includes six elephant tusks that had not been disclosed previously. Mohanlal has reportedly stated that these tusks were inherited through his family.

Officials from the Kerala Forest Department recently visited Mohanlal's residence in Thevara, Kochi, where they inspected the items and prepared a detailed inventory.

The report will now be forwarded to the Chief Wildlife Warden, who will verify the declaration and determine the legal ownership status of the ivory articles under the relevant provisions of the law.

The latest development follows a significant setback for the actor after the Kerala High Court recently cancelled the ownership certificates issued for his ivory collection, ruling that the mandatory legal procedures had not been properly followed while granting them.

The controversy dates back to August 2011, when the Income Tax Department recovered ivory items during a raid at Mohanlal's residence. The discovery eventually led to criminal proceedings, with the actor continuing to face trial over the alleged unlawful possession of elephant tusks.

If Mohanlal's application is accepted under the state's one-time declaration scheme, it could provide him legal protection from further proceedings related to the possession of the declared wildlife articles.

The Chief Wildlife Warden will now scrutinise the declaration and the Forest Department's inventory before taking a final call on whether ownership of the items can be regularised under the scheme.