Actor Vikram case: Farm owner in Erode asked to produce documents on Lar Gibbons

The Erode Forest Division has requested the proprietor of an animal breeding farm in Perundurai to provide the registration certificate and other relevant documents concerning two Lar Gibbons (Hylobates lar) discovered at the location during an examination by representatives from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in Chennai and the Forest Department.

K.V. Appala Naidu, the District Forest Officer for Erode, informed The Hindu that the animals' registration process was incomplete, and the owner was directed to present the necessary paperwork on August 14. Despite providing some documentation, there were several issues. The documentation requested encompassed the registration certificate obtained by the owner's client in Manipur, from whom the animals were procured, according to Mr. Naidu.

Additionally, details regarding the demise of a female Lar Gibbon that had not been reported to the authorities were sought, as reporting such an occurrence is mandatory under the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024. The farm, owned by K. Keshavanathan, was evaluated following a video circulated on social media by Tamil actor Vikram, who appeared to interact with a Lar Gibbon.

The video gained widespread attention, eliciting criticism from wildlife advocates concerning the ownership of an endangered species without the appropriate paperwork. Vikram subsequently took down the video. The Lar Gibbon is classified as Appendix I in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The investigation disclosed that industrialist C.K. Ranganathan of Erode had procured two Lar Gibbons from the farm owner and transferred them to Chennai. Ranganathan is the father-in-law of Vikram's daughter. Further investigation revealed that the farm owner had acquired the animals from Manipur and transported them to Perundurai.

According to the regulations governing exotic live species, the owner must register with the Forest Department, disclose the stock in his possession, and report the acquisition of any new animal within 30 days. Upon making the declaration, the facility undergoes inspection by the Forest Department to confirm compliance, resulting in the issuance of a Form 3 Registration Certificate.

The animals reached Perundurai on June 5, 2025. However, the owner submitted the registration application only on August 9, 2025, and relocated the animals to Chennai on the same day. According to Mr. Naidu, there was a delay of more than two months. The DFO stated that the registration process was still incomplete, and the Forest Department was assessing the documents submitted by the farm owner.