While ordering the translocation of the elephant last month, the Kerala high court had directed the state forest department to appoint a nodal officer to monitor the animal once it is fitted with the collar.
Setting aside a sessions court order that dropped the charge under section 304 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Venkitaraman last year, a single bench of justice Bechhu Kurian Thomas said: “Prima facie, it is assumed that that the first accused was overspeeding and was driving the vehicle after consuming alcohol and had even caused destruction of evidence relating to the offence.”