Ivory case: Mohanlal moves Kerala HC, court questions his locus standi

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday, August 29, pointed out that Malayalam actor Mohanlal might not have the locus standi to challenge the order of a lower court, which had dismissed the state government's plea to withdraw the proceedings against him in a decade-old illegal ivory possession case.

The Perumbavoor Judicial First Class Magistrate Court had dismissed the state government's plea to withdraw the proceedings against the actor and it was against this the actor had approached the High Court. On Monday, the High Court asked the actor to approach the lower court again for further proceedings,

The court also did not make observations on the actor's demand that he should be prevented from personal appearance. It then posted the case to be heard after the Onam break, next month. Justice Mary Joseph held, "The party (Mohanlal) does not have locus standi. If the state appears and files an application, the court can consider it. But the party cannot do so. If the court decides that a party can do that, then so many such accused will come and file applications before the court seeking withdrawal."

In June 2012, Mohanlal was accused of illegally possessing ivory artefacts, which were seized from his house in Thevara. Four elephant tusks were seized from the actor's house in a raid conducted by the Income Tax authorities, following which a case was registered against him. The complainant had alleged that the actor had used his clout to bury the case without any further investigation. Mohanlal has maintained that the ivory tusks were obtained legally and in 2015, at the direction of the Union government, the Kerala government issued a certificate of ownership to him.

Subsequently, the state government had issued a no objection certificate for withdrawing the case against him. However, in June 2022, the Magistrate court dismissed the state's application to withdraw the case and the actor then approached the High Court.

IANS Input