The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to Forest Department officials on a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the authorities to take into custody an elephant in Madurai that is allegedly being used for begging by its owner.
A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad ordered notice to the Forest Department officials on the petition filed by V. M. Nivaas of Anuppanadi in Madurai, who complained that elephant Sumathi was used for begging and was also being transported from one place to another without a proper ownership certificate or licence.
The petitioner said the elephant was transported to participate in the funeral of the Raja of erstwhile Ramanathapuram Samasthanam. He said the certificate was valid only for a period of five years. It should have been renewed by the owner, but it was not. Cases had been registered against the owner for not following the rules, the petitioner alleged.
Therefore, the officials should take elephant Sumathi into their custody and relocate it to the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in M.R. Palayam in Tiruchi, he said.
