Malayalam rapper and lyricist Hirandas Murali has been taken into custody once again. According to Forests Minister A K Saseendran, a leopard tooth was allegedly found in his possession which prompted a fresh investigation under wildlife protection laws. Police reportedly discovered the leopard tooth during a search at the rapper’s rented residence in Kozhikode on Monday.
According to a report in News18, the minister told the reporters, “On finding that it was a leopard tooth, the department registered a case and took him into custody. An investigation has been launched to find out where he got the tooth from. Once the probe is over, a report will be placed before the court which will take a decision.”
Minister A K Saseendran revealed that the rapper had been under surveillance by the Forest Department's vigilance wing for quite some time now, especially after reports of his suspicious activities. During the questioning, Vedan claimed that the leopard tooth found in his possession was brought from Thailand, but later he changed his statement, alleging that it was a gift from a fan that he received at an event in Chennai in May 2024.
The raid on Vedan's home led to the recovery of five grams of dried ganja, drug paraphernalia, mobile phones and approximately Rs 9.50 lakh in cash. Alongside Vedan, eight others were arrested in connection with the case.
The Forest Department is focused on verifying the authenticity of the leopard tooth and determining its origin. Meanwhile, the police are investigating the source of the narcotics and potential links to a larger network.