Vigilance Court orders quick-verification probe against Mohanlal in tusk case
Kochi: The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court on Saturday ordered a Quick Verification (QV) probe against actor Mohanlal, former forest minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and two others following a complaint that he was in illegal possession of ivory tusks and got help from certain quarters to force the sleuths in withdrawing the case against him earlier.
The court asked the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) director to conduct the primary probe and file a report before December 16 while considering a complaint filed by one A.A. Poulose of Eloor. Apart from Mohanlal and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, P.N. Krishnakumar of Thrissur and K. Krishnakumar of Tripunithura who allegedly gifted the ivory tusk to the actor are also facing probe.
A preliminary inquiry is necessary to ascertain whether the former minister had abused his official position in giving a differential treatment to the three including Mohanlal (in closing up an earlier case in this connection), the court observed.
“The forest department, at first was against issuing an order for declaration of the tusks held by Mohanlal (after withdrawal of the case). It was at the bidding of Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan that the file was put up for granting an order for declaration," it said. It, however, did not find sufficient material to prove that other five respondents, including former forest secretary Marapandyan, Malayattoor divisional forest officer Phanidrakumar, Kodanad range officer I.P. Sanal, former Kochi city police commissioner K. Padmakumar, and Thrikkakara ACP Bijo Alexander, had "actively participated in granting the benefits."
“It seems no proper inquiry was conducted as to how Mohanlal and two others got possession of these elephant tusks. It is clear that Mohanlal has violated the provision of Wild Life Protection Act. The declaration does not contain details as to how Mohanlal came into possession of the contraband. Only if the possession is legal, it can be accepted by the wildlife warden. There cannot be any special consideration given to Mohanlal because he is recipient of a national award," the court observed.
The inquiry officer was also directed to ascertain whether any other public servants were involved and whether there is any ground to proceed further. As per the complaint, Mohanlal was found in illegal possession of two sets of elephant tusks at his home in Thevara during a search conducted by the income-tax authorities in 2011 based on which the forest department had registered a case. He was found to be in possession of it since 1988 without intimating the forest department. One set of ivory was found from the other two accused as well. The complainant claimed Mohanlal used his undue influence with the then forest minister and procured an illegal order to withdraw the case without any further investigation. The other respondents as well had abused their official position as public servants and had even permitted Mohanlal to declare the animal trophy by issuing a special order and thereafter granted a certificate of ownership violating provisions of WildLife (Protection) Act.
