The Kerala Forest Department has found that the leopard tooth-like pendant attached to a chain worn by Malayalam rapper and songwriter Hirandas Murali, popularly known as Vedan, is original leopard tooth.

He was arrested on non-bailable charges by a team of forest officials led by the Kodanad Range Officer immediately after he was released on bail by the Hill Palace in Kochi City following his arrest, along with eight of his friends, after 6 gm of suspected ganja were recovered from his apartment near Vytilla in Kochi on April 28, 2025.

The Forest Department had booked him for wildlife hunting, in addition to illegal possession of wildlife articles. The Hill Palace police had alerted the forest officials after they noticed a leopard tooth-like pendant attached to his chain. The singer had reportedly admitted that it was procured from Thailand.

“The pendant was sent to the Central Forensic Lab in Kolkata in order to confirm whether it is original leopard tooth. We have received the confirmation that it is genuine. The follow-up action, including filing of the charge sheet in the case will be initiated soon,” senior department officials said.

He was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act Section 2(16) (hunting), Section 2(31) (“trophy” means the whole or any part of any captive animal or wild animal, other than vermin, which has been kept or preserved by any means, whether artificial or natural), Section 9 (prohibition of hunting), Section 39(1) (declares as government property any wild animal hunted, animal article, trophy or uncured trophy or meat derived from any wild animal, ivory imported into India and an article made from such ivory, and vehicle, vessel, weapon, trap or tool that has been used for committing an offence and has been seized) Section 50 (power of entry, search, arrest and detention).