By IANS,
Kochi : Film star-turned-Kerala minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, who is also in-charge of cinema portfolio, Friday ruled out an inquiry into reports that Income Tax sleuths had found out a pair of elephant tusks while raiding superstar Mohanlal’s home here.
“No, why should such a thing happen,” asked Kumar, who has worked with the superstar in numerous movies in the past more than two decades.
Trading in ivory is banned and since Kumar is the forest minister, the law on this is enforced by his ministry.
“If someone has a gun in possession, will anyone launch an inquiry into it? Maybe the holder of the gun would have a license. Likewise, maybe Mohanlal has inherited it and might have the necessary permission to keep it in possession,” said Kumar.
Early Friday, the residence and offices of superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal were raided across four cities in south India.
Veteran thespian actor Thilakan, who has been having a long running feud with the two stars, said that those who occupy a place of pride in the minds of many, should be clean in all respects.
Thilakan was booted out of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes, the only organisation of all those who don the grease paint in the Malayalam industry, for indiscipline after he criticised the superstars.