Vikram’s Lar Gibbon controversy: Actor’s connection explained as Forest Department investigation traces monkey to Erode resident

A video of actor Vikram with a monkey recently went viral on social media, quickly snowballing into a full-blown wildlife controversy. The animal in question turned out to be a Lar Gibbon, a rare species indigenous to Southeast Asia, prompting questions about how it ended up in India and whether the necessary permissions were in place. The Forest Department stepped in to investigate soon after Vikram took down the video from his Instagram page.

How did Vikram get linked to the controversy?

According to the Forest Department, the video was actually shot at the residence of M.K. Muthu, the elder son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Vikram had reportedly visited the house as his daughter is married into Muthu’s family. During this visit, the actor interacted with the monkey and recorded the video that later went viral.Officials also found that the animal had been brought to the residence for sale. As part of the inquiry, Forest Department officials questioned Vikram even as he was busy with a film shoot. Importantly, the department has clarified that Vikram has no connection with the purchase or sale of the monkey, effectively clearing the actor’s name in the matter.

The real owner: A case over registration violations

The investigation eventually traced the animal to Kesavanathan, a resident of Perundurai in Erode district. The Forest Department issued him a notice and questioned him extensively about the Lar Gibbon.During the inquiry, officials found that Kesavanathan had purchased the monkey from Manipur on June 1, and that he had also bought two other monkeys of the same species. However, none of these animals were registered with the Forest Department within the mandated timeframe, a clear violation of wildlife protection norms. A case has now been registered against him for these lapses.Adding to his troubles, officials also discovered that one of the three monkeys had died, and that the death had not been reported to the department as required. This has led to a second case being filed against him.

Where does the controversy stand now?

With the Forest Department’s clarification, the focus of the case has firmly shifted away from Vikram and onto questions of ownership and legal registration of the protected species. The actor’s non-involvement in the purchase or sale of the animal has been officially established, effectively putting the controversy to rest as far as he is concerned.

Vikram on the career front

Vikram, meanwhile, remains focused on his acting commitments and upcoming projects. Known for taking on challenging roles across varied genres, the actor has several films lined up. For now, the monkey video controversy appears to have been resolved, with the ongoing investigation centred entirely on the animal’s ownership and registration violations.