In a significant development in the controversial tiger tooth case, the Perumbavoor Judicial First Class Magistrate Court observed that there is no prima facie evidence to support the charges against actor Vedan. The court made the observation while granting him bail.
One of the key points noted by the court was that the authenticity of the tiger tooth in question has not yet been scientifically proven. Additionally, the court observed that Ved has no prior record of involvement in similar offenses.
Vedan was granted bail yesterday in connection with the case where he was accused of possessing a tiger tooth gifted to him by a devotee. As part of the bail conditions, the court directed him to cooperate with the investigation, refrain from leaving Kerala, surrender his passport to the court, and appear at the police station every Thursday.
After completing evidence collection in Thrissur, Vedan was presented before the court around 4 PM yesterday. The bail hearing lasted for about an hour. Ved’s lawyer argued that the tiger tooth was a gift, and had he known it was real, he would not have used it. The defense also contended that the offense under the Wildlife Protection Act does not stand in this case. However, the court reminded that ignorance of the law is not a valid defense.
When asked if he had any previous criminal record, Ved responded negatively. The court subsequently granted bail around 5:30 PM.
Meanwhile, the ruling comes as a setback for the Forest Department, which had argued that they could easily identify the tooth as genuine and that a strong case existed against Ved. The department also claimed that they intended to charge him under serious sections and opposed bail, expressing concerns that Ved might flee the country or destroy evidence.
