Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has disclosed ownership of five pairs of elephant tusks — a total of 10 tusks — prompting the Kerala Forest Department to seek detailed documentation on three additional pairs that were declared only recently under a one-time settlement scheme for undisclosed wildlife articles. The actor has also declared possession of 13 ivory artefacts, all of which he maintains were received as gifts over the years.

What Mohanlal Declared

According to the actor, all five pairs of tusks in his possession were gifted to him at various points over the years. The latest disclosure of three additional pairs came during the Kerala Forest Department's one-time settlement scheme for undisclosed wildlife articles, bringing the cumulative total to five pairs. Alongside the tusks, Mohanlal has declared 13 ivory artefacts, similarly attributed to gifts.

The Legal Background

The fresh disclosure is particularly significant because it arrives while legal proceedings over Mohanlal's earlier elephant tusk ownership remain pending. The Kerala government, through orders issued in 2015 and 2016, had permitted the actor to retain two pairs of elephant tusks, following which the Forest Department issued him an ownership certificate. However, the Kerala High Court subsequently quashed that certificate, citing legal infirmities in the process used to grant ownership.

Why the Gift Claim Raises Legal Questions

The disclosures have brought into sharp focus the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Under the law, ivory and elephant tusks cannot ordinarily be acquired as gifts. Such articles may only be lawfully possessed if they have been inherited or transferred through legally recognised channels supported by valid documentation. Legal observers note that the gift explanation offered by the actor may not satisfy the statutory requirements, placing the legal status of both the tusks and the ivory artefacts in question.

What the Forest Department Is Doing

Forest officials have clarified that only a preliminary verification has been carried out so far. A detailed examination — including forensic and DNA analysis if required — will be conducted to determine the age, origin, and legality of the tusks. Should scientific tests establish that the tusks belonged to multiple elephants and lack the documentation mandated under law, the case could assume considerably greater legal significance. The Kerala Forest Department has directed Mohanlal to furnish all relevant records at the earliest to facilitate a comprehensive investigation.

What Happens Next

The outcome of the forensic examination and the documentary evidence submitted by the actor will determine whether the case escalates into a formal legal proceeding under wildlife protection laws. With the earlier High Court ruling already on record and fresh disclosures now under scrutiny, authorities are expected to complete their detailed examination before deciding on further action.