Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary MV Govindan condemned the forest department on Thursday for its action against rapper Vedan, also known as Hirandas Murali, in a case related to a leopard tooth pendant. Addressing the media, the CPM leader said that Vedan had admitted to using ganja and had urged his followers to refrain from such habits.

“Vedan is a representative of a backward community in India. We should show respect to such an artist. He told the police that he wore the leopard tooth pendant after receiving it as a gift from a friend. He was unaware of the legal implications,” said Govindan, backing the rapper.

He added that the forest department should have released Vedan when he informed them that the pendant was a gift.

Responding to the media, the CPM leader agreed that the forest department had targeted Vedan over the leopard tooth pendant case. He pointed out that the department’s actions should be scrutinized.

Meanwhile, the forest department has ordered an internal inquiry into the case against the rapper. Minister A.K. Saseendran said on Thursday that the rapper’s arrest was unfortunate. He also sought an explanation from the Kodanad range officer and other officials over the violation of the code of conduct.

In his statement, the minister criticised attempts to use the case to target the LDF government.

On Tuesday, the forest department arrested Vedan after the police had released him on bail in a ganja case. On Wednesday, the Perumbavoor First Class Judicial Magistrate Court granted him conditional bail in the leopard tooth pendant case.