Actor Mohanlal has been asked to appear for trial, before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Perumbavoor, in the illegal ivory possession case.
The actor has been ordered to appear on November 3. Earlier, the court had dismissed a petition filed by the state government for withdrawal of prosecution in the case.
In 2011, the Income Tax Department had seized four ivory tusks from the actor's residence at Thevara in Kochi. He was booked under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
Mohanlal had claimed that he bought the ivory from K Krishnakumar.
The actor had told the court that he holds certificate of ownership of the ivory sets, based on which the assistant public prosecutor had pleaded for withdrawing the case.
The state had argued at the High Court of Kerala that the case was of no interest to third parties while opposing petitions filed by AA Paulose and James Mathew. However, the court held that the issue was of public interest and recommended the magistrate court to continue proceedings.
The case had returned to the limelight in 2019 when the Forest Department filed a chargesheet against the actor. Besides Mohanlal, three others are accused in the case.
