KOCHI: The High Court has granted bail to Hamsa (49), a native of Kuriyakkara House in Aluva's Sreemulanagaram, and Faisal (40), of Konganam House in Palayur in Chavakkad in connection with the case in which whale vomit worth Rs 30 crore was seized in Thrissur. The main condition is a bond of Rs 1.5 lakh and two sureties of equal amount.

On July 9, forest officials caught them with the vomit of a whale they had brought to sell on the black market. The prosecution argued that all but three of the accused in the case were yet to be arrested and should not be granted bail. However, the High Court ruled that the accused had been in jail for more than 55 days and granted them bail on the ground that they did not have to stay in jail.

Ambergris

Ambergris or whale vomit is the secretion in the stomachs of endangered whales. Ambergris, also used in the manufacture of spices, is also known as sea treasure or floating gold. Whales are a protected species under Schedule Two of the Indian Wildlife Conservation Act. The collection and sale of ambergris has been criminalized to prevent poaching.