The Kerala High Court in the case V. Mohanlal v. State of Kerala & Ors observed and has stayed the ongoing trial against the Actor Mohanlal in case for alleged illegal possession of ivory.
The bench headed by Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan in the case observed and has granted an interim stay of proceedings before Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court, Perumbavoor, for the period of 6 months.
In the present case, the actor was being booked after the Income Tax Department allegedly recovered illegal ivory from his Kochi residence in a raid in June 2012.
The case was being registered against him by the Forest Department under Section 50 of the Wild Life Protection Act.
Therefore, Mohanlal in the case had applied to the government in January 2016 and September 2019 respectively, urging it to withdraw the case claiming that the ivory was purchased legally. The court while following the said claim, he was provided relaxation by the State which prompted the prosecution to file a plea to withdraw the case.
However, the plea moved by State has been dismissed by the Judicial First-Class Magistrate.
He also moved to the Kerala High Court wherein challenging the said order. The High Court in the case dismissed the plea moved by actor but asked the magistrate to consider the State’s plea afresh.
Consequently, the State approached the magistrate with a fresh plea wherein seeking consent to withdraw the case.
The court dismissed the plea moved by State wherein the court noted that the Wild Life Protection Act was implemented to preserve the broader national interests and not individual rights.
Further, it has been directed by the said court that the actor needs to appear before the trial court on November 03, 2023.
Accordingly, the actor approached the High Court challenging the said order.