Malayalam actor Mohanlal will have to stand trial in the wildlife crime case filed against him for illegally possessing two pairs of ivory after a trial judge on Thursday denied the State government's request to dismiss the case.
The reason for why the plea was denied will be disclosed later, according to a report by The Hindu. The actor was arrested by the Forest Department after an income tax raid at his home showed that he was in possession of illegal ivory.
Two public-spirited people, James Mathew and A. A. Poulose opposed the withdrawal plea. Despite the fact that the trial court had previously refused their request to intervene as third-party intervenors, the Kerala High Court ruled in their favor and allowed them to present their case.
Despite the fact that the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) claimed that continuing the case would be useless, petitioners' counsel Abraham P. Meachinkara disputed the dismissal of the case.
Mohanlal had received an invalid certificate of ownership for the ivory. The issuance of the certificate cannot be used to allow the case to be dismissed. Meachinkara contended that no charges were brought against the actor for the discovery of 13 ivory artefacts and two pairs of elephant tusks.
Section 50 of the Wild Life Protection Act stipulates imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and up to seven years, as well as a fine, for offenses involving species listed in Schedule One of the Act, or meat, animal articles, trophy, or uncured trophy produced from such creatures.
