Mohanlal declares 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory idols to Kerala Forest Department following court battle
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File image of Mohanlal Photograph: (X)
Following a landmark Kerala High Court ruling in October 2025, Malayalam film star Mohanlal has officially declared a large collection of ivory items—including 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory idols—to the Kerala Forest Department under a government amnesty scheme.
Malayalam film star Mohanlal has declared to the Kerala Forest Department that he possesses 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory idols. The actor’s declaration comes after the Kerala High Court in 2025 cancelled ownership certificates for the tusks. The case dates back to 2011 when a routine income tax raid unearthed more.
The ivory idols the actor declared include those of Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, and Tirupati Balaji, with a total weight of around 46 kg. Mohanlal has claimed that most of the tusks in his possession are inherited or received as gifts.
Also read: From Drishyam to Lucifer: 7 must-watch Mohanlal movies on Netflix, Prime and other OTT platforms
The 2011 IT raid at Mohanlal’s home
In 2011, income tax officials raided the actor’s home in Kochi, looking for financial documents and a case. However, the team allegedly discovered elephant tusks and ivory artefacts displayed as heirlooms. They were seized under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which strictly prohibits possession of ivory without government certification.A case was registered against the actor following the raid.
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According to reports, when quizzed, Mohanlal had claimed that the tusks came from a captive elephant that died of natural causes. The actor stated he had kept them as memorabilia and added that he was unaware of the laws that prohibited him from keeping them.
The case slipped into oblivion after the government allowed him to declare the tusks in 2015, and he was issued an ownership certificate in 2016.
The turning point: 2025 case
The legal battle began in 2011 at the Perumbavoor court, prompting Mohanlal to challenge the proceedings in the Kerala High Court. He secured an interim stay that paused the case for nearly 14 years. Although the actor petitioned the government in 2016 and 2019 to drop the case—arguing the ivory and tusks were legally acquired—his plea was ultimately dismissed in 2023.
According to a LiveLaw report from October 2025, the High Court eventually invalidated the actor's ownership certificates following a petition from a group of conservationists, retired forest officers, and former wildlife wardens. While the court ordered the state government to issue a new notification regarding the ivory, it stopped short of directing the actor's prosecution.
What has Mohanlal declared under amnesty
The veteran star has now declared to the Forest Department that he possesses 10 elephant tusks, six more than his initial declaration, and 13 ivory idols. Officials at the Malayattoor Divisional Forest Office in Kochi told PTI that the declaration was made under the department’s amnesty scheme, in which individuals can declare unregistered wildlife articles to avoid legal action.
The Forest Department will now conduct DNA tests to verify their authenticity.
