Thiruvananthapuram: In a major relief to Actor Mohanlal, the state government has issued a no objection certificate (NOC) to withdrawing the wildlife crime cases registered against him. The case was registered against the actor for illegally procuring and stocking elephant tusks, a Schedule One wild animal.
The Additional Chief Secretary issued NOC to the Collector of Ernakulam on February 7. he case filed by the Forest Department is in the Perumbavoor Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. Under Section 321 of the Civil Procedure, the Public Prosecutor has the right to withdraw from the case with the consent of the State Government.
The government has also asked the District Collector to issue directives to the Public Prosecutor/Assistant Public Prosecutor in this regard.
Before arriving at a decision, the government had also taken note of a letter written by the Chief Wildlife Warden on August 14 last year and another letter from the Director General of Prosecution on December 4, 2019.
