Popular Kerala rapper Vedan, whose real name is Hirandas Murali, has been booked by the Forest Department for serious wildlife-related offences, including illegal hunting and possession of protected wildlife articles. The action follows his arrest after officials found a leopard tooth pendant in his possession.
The incident came to light on April 28, 2025, when Vedan was arrested by Hill Palace police in Kochi, along with eight others, after 6 grams of suspected ganja were seized from his apartment near Vytilla. Following his release on bail in the NDPS case, the police noticed a leopard-tooth-like locket on his chain and alerted the Forest Department.
A team led by the Kodanad Range Officer immediately took Vedan into custody under non-bailable wildlife charges. He was interrogated overnight and is expected to be produced before the court on Tuesday, April 29.
Initial investigation by the forest vigilance wing reportedly confirmed the item to be an authentic leopard tooth. Vedan is said to have admitted to procuring it from Thailand, further compounding the legal implications.
The rapper has now been charged under several stringent provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, including:
- Section 2(16) – Defining hunting
- Section 2(31) – Possession of a trophy (animal parts)
- Section 9 – Prohibition of hunting
- Section 39(1) – Declaring seized wildlife articles as government property
- Section 50 – Powers of arrest, search, and detention by forest officials
The case has raised concerns among conservationists about celebrities glamorizing possession of protected animal parts. Authorities have reiterated that even possession of wildlife trophies without proper authorization constitutes a criminal offence under Indian law.
This marks a significant legal setback for Vedan, who recently garnered headlines for his arrest in a narcotics-related case and is now under scrutiny for violations of wildlife protection norms as well.
