First ganja, then tiger tooth: More trouble for rapper Vedan
Rapper Vedan (Hirandas Murali) says he still doesn’t know whether the tiger tooth he wears as a locket is real. Vedan was arrested yesterday by the police for cannabis consumption. The tiger tooth was discovered during a police raid on the artist’s flat. Though he was granted bail in the cannabis case, the locket became a new lock for him.
The Kodanad range officer of the Forest Department later arrested him and charged him under various sections, including hunting and illicit possession of wildlife articles. The charges are serious, as tiger parts are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. Such offences are cognizable and non-bailable.
According to the Forest Department, the locket was gifted to Vedan by a fan named Ranjith Kumbidi, who is reportedly of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. The department noted that Vedan’s mother is also a Sri Lankan Tamil—interestingly, the department sees this ethnic link as important in this case.
Possession of a tiger tooth is illegal in India—even if done unknowingly—under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Act strictly prohibits the possession, trade, or display of any part of a tiger, including its teeth, as the species is protected under Schedule I. Conviction on hunting charges can result in imprisonment ranging from three to seven years.
However, the governments have, on different occasions, offered voluntary disclosure and amnesty schemes allowing individuals to surrender illegally owned wildlife articles without facing penal action. For instance, in early 2024, the Karnataka government granted a three-month amnesty period for individuals to surrender artefacts made from the body parts of wild animals. Earlier, similar windows were provided in 1973 (30 days) and in 2003 (180 days), under Rule 34(1) of the Wildlife (Conservation) (Karnataka Rules) 1973, for individuals to obtain ownership certificates for wildlife articles. The 2024 amnesty aimed to assist those who had missed out on obtaining such certificates, especially in light of rising complaints against actors and politicians for alleged possession of tiger claws.
In Kerala, actor Mohanlal has faced legal trouble since 2011, when elephant tusks and several ivory artefacts were discovered during an income tax raid. Notably, in 2020, the state government issued a no-objection certificate for withdrawing the case against him. However, this was challenged in court, leaving the matter unresolved. In September 2023, the Kerala High Court stayed the trial against Mohanlal in the case. Notably, as Vedan now faces stringent charges, Kerala’s hyperactive social media is debating whether the government is treating him differently because he comes from a marginalized background.
In Vedan’s case, authorities are now investigating the origin of the tiger tooth and whether others were involved in its procurement or gifting. The Forest Department has extended its probe beyond Kerala and is also examining a jewellery shop in Thrissur where the tooth was reportedly modified into a pendant.
Meanwhile, Vedan’s rap performance has been dropped from the state government’s fourth-anniversary celebrations as he was arrested in the cannabis case.
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