Investigation into Vedan's tiger tooth: Forest Department's investigation leading to UK through Sri Lanka

KOCHI: The Forest Department's investigation into the tiger tooth case in which rapper Vedan was arrested is focused on Ranjith, a Sri Lankan national living in the UK. This is based on Vedan's statement that he was the one who gifted the tiger tooth. Vedan was remanded in the custody of the Forest Department for two days by the Perumbavoor Judicial First Class Magistrate Court yesterday.

The statement says that Ranjith and two friends gifted Vedan the tiger tooth after a music night in Chennai in 2022 and that they do not know him personally, although they follow him on Instagram. The Forest Department is mainly investigating whether Ranjith, who migrated to the UK with his family years ago, is related to Vedan. They are hoping to get information about the tiger tooth if they recover the chats on Instagram. If it is clear that it was Ranjith who handed over the tiger tooth to Vedan, the hunting case against Vedan will be dropped, but the charge of possessing the tiger tooth will remain.

Vedan, who was taken into custody by the forest department on Monday night, was taken to Mekkappala station under the Kodanad forest range. His arrest was recorded yesterday morning. Vedan has been charged with charges that can carry a sentence of up to seven years in prison. It was ADCF Abhay Yadav who questioned Vedan. He was produced in court at 5 pm and taken into custody. Later, he was taken to Shwas Flats in Kaniyampuzha and evidence was collected. Evidence was collected today at Sarasa Jewellery in Viyyur, Thrissur, where the tiger tooth was set in silver.

Didn't know it was a tiger tooth

The Perumbavoor court accepted the forest department's request to keep Vedan in custody to collect evidence in the tiger tooth possession case. Vedan told the court that he did not know that it was a real tiger's tooth. Vedan asked for bail as his album is being released today, but the court rejected it. When asked where he got the tiger's tooth, Vedan's response when he was brought to the court was, "I don't have the right to say anything now". When Vedan was brought to his flat for evidence collection at around 6 his response was that everyone should listen to his new song 'Monolova' and give their opinion.