Kochi: In a significant legal blow to actor Mohanlal and the Kerala government, the High Court has nullified the government order that had legalized the actor’s possession of elephant tusks. The Court has directed the government to issue a fresh notification regarding the matter.
The court observed that the government’s procedure in legalizing the ivory possession contained flaws. Specifically, the Court highlighted that the 2015 government notification, which was key to granting Mohanlal the possession certificate, was not published in the Gazette. The High Court’s decision to cancel the possession license is based on this failure in technical and procedural compliance.
The case originated in August 2011 when Income Tax officials, during a raid at Mohanlal’s residence in Thevara, Ernakulam, seized elephant tusks. At the time of the seizure, the actor did not possess a license to keep the tusks. Subsequently, the government considered his application and issued a possession certificate, effectively legalizing his ownership.
However, the High Court has now determined that the government committed a procedural error: when the possession certificate was issued in 2015, the corresponding notification was not gazetted. The court pointed out that due to this procedural lapse, the license issued to the actor to possess the ivory is rendered invalid.
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