Actor Vikram’s Lar gibbon video case: Court grants Erode farm owner conditional interim custody of exotic animals
A court in Perundurai has granted interim custody of 11 exotic animals, including Lar gibbons and serval cats, to a farm owner following a seizure by the Forest Department. The court imposed strict conditions, including regular veterinary check-ups and a prohibition on selling or transferring the animals.
Why it matters
The case underscores the legal complexities surrounding the possession of exotic wildlife in India and the regulatory oversight required for private animal ownership.
A court in Perundurai has dismissed a Forest Department petition seeking to shift 11 exotic animals seized from a farmhouse to a zoo and permitted farm owner S.K. Keshavanathan, 53, to retain interim custody of the animals, subject to several conditions.
The animals comprise two Lar gibbons — one male and one female; seven serval cats — two adult males, two adult females, and three kittens (one male and two females); and two tufted capuchins — one male and one female.
In an order issued on Thursday (September 3, 2026), a copy of which was made available on Friday (September 4), Judicial Magistrate N. Moorthy directed Mr. Keshavanathan to furnish a surety bond undertaking to surrender the animals if ordered by the court or an appellate court. He was also restrained from selling, gifting, transferring, relocating, or transferring ownership of the animals to any other person.
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