Actor Mohanlal has been chargesheeted by the Kerala Forest Department for the illegal possession of ivory and failing to inform the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) about its possession and transfer.
G. Dhaniklal, Range Forest Officer, Kodanad, submitted the chargesheet against the actor and three others for offences committed in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court 3, Perumbavoor, the other day. The alleged offence was committed in 2011. P.N. Krishnakumar of Olloor, K. Radhakrishnan of Thripunithura, and Nalini Radhakrishnan of Chennai have also been arraigned as accused in the court.
The four were accused of committing offences under Section 39 (wild animals, etc. to be government property), Section 40 (declarations to be made regarding the control, custody, or possession of any captive animal specified in the Schedule 1 of the Act or animal article, trophy etc), 49 A (prohibition of trade or commerce in trophies, animal articles etc. derived from certain animals), 49 B (prohibition of dealing in trophies, animal articles etc.), 52 (attempts and abatements), and Section 57 (presumptions to be made in certain cases) among other provisions of law.
Up to seven years
The offences are punishable with imprisonment up to seven years and fine since the case is related to sale and transfer of ivory, a wildlife trophy from elephants, a Schedule One animal, which has been accorded maximum legal protection, said forest officials.
