Kochi | Actor Mohanlal has declared to the Kerala Forest Department that he possesses 10 elephant tusks and 13 ivory idols, even as he continues to face trial in a case relating to the alleged illegal possession of wildlife articles, officials said on Monday.
Officials at the Malayattoor Divisional Forest Office here said the declaration was made under the department's amnesty scheme, allowing individuals to declare wildlife articles in their possession.
The actor had earlier declared possession of four elephant tusks and has now disclosed six more.
The ivory idols declared by him include those of Lord Krishna, Lord Rama and Tirupati Balaji, with a total weight of around 46 kg, they said.
Mohanlal claimed that most of the tusks in his possession were inherited or received as gifts.
The Forest Department will conduct DNA tests to verify the authenticity of the tusks and ivory idols, they added.
Under the Forest Department amnesty scheme, individuals can declare unregistered wildlife articles to avoid legal action, officials said.
Mohanlal is currently facing trial in a wildlife case related to the alleged illegal possession of four elephant tusks.
The case originated in 2011 after an Income Tax Department raid at the actor's residences reportedly led to the recovery of elephant tusks and ivory idols.
Subsequently, the Forest Department registered a case against him for allegedly possessing two pairs of elephant tusks without valid permission.
Although the Kerala government later attempted to withdraw the case, the trial court rejected the move.
The Kerala High Court subsequently upheld that decision, directing that the legal proceedings against the actor should continue.
Kerala High Court last year cancelled the ownership certificates of ivory articles in the actor's possession, setting aside a government order allowing him to keep the tusks.
