The department did not probe the route through which the ivory reached the actor, as mandated by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, says Surendrakumar. Another official says the government had issued a letter asking the officials not to proceed against the actor

Kerala Forest officials were reportedly coerced by a senior government official into favouring actor Mohanlal in the illegal ivory possession case and withdrawing the chargesheet against him, revealed former Forest officials.

"The then Kerala Chief Secretary, Tom Jose, asked me to help Mr. Mohanlal in the case. The official shouted at me when I refused to oblige and stated that only the legally permissible measures would be adopted in the case," Surendrakumar, former Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala, told The Hindu.

However, Mr. Jose said he was unable to recollect any such incident. "If the Forest officer has any proof to substantiate his allegation, let him come up with it," Mr. Jose said.

'In actor's favour'

Mr. Surendrakumar said he had informed the department that the process followed to issue the ownership certificates for the ivory, found in possession of the actor during an income tax raid, was flawed. The department did not probe the route through which the ivory reached Mr. Mohanlal, as mandated by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It was decided in favour of the actor after recording his statements, he said.

Incidentally, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court, consisting of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian, had on Friday struck down the ownership certificate issued to the actor and ordered that the procedure followed by the department in the case was void ab initio. "Mr. Mohanlal did not inform the department about the possession of the ivory or seek ownership certificates till the income tax raids at his residence, revealing the illegal possession of the wildlife trophy. The Forest official who conducted the inquiry, a prerequisite for issuing the ownership certificate, flouted the mandatory procedures. I had noted the violations in the files and later included them in an affidavit filed before the High Court," he said.

Minister's support

Mr. Surendrakumar said the then Forest Minister, K. Raju, supported him and asked him to adhere to the rules and regulations.

A former Divisional Forest Officer of Malayattoor Forest Division, who had handled the filing of chargesheet in the wildlife crime case against the actor, confirmed that the government had issued a letter asking the officials not to proceed against him. However, the department charged the case based on the available facts, said the official on condition of anonymity.

The wildlife crime cases against the actor are pending before various courts.

Forest officials were coerced into acting in favour of Mohanlal in ivory case, says former Chief Wildlife Warden