The News Minute | August 13, 2014 | 2.56 pm ISTAfter being in ‘prison’ for three years, elephant to walk out todayHe had come to Kerala three years ago as Don Singh. But without any proper papers of ownership and transfer, Don Singh was soon arrested by Kerala’s forest department.In 2012, Don Singh was shifted to a prison in Kooni elephant camp in Kerala. Don Singh the elephant from Bihar soon became Kochu Ayappan for mahouts and locals.But apparently life in the jail was not tough for Ayyappan and since the Forest department was unsure of how to proceed with the case, he was not made to work at the elephant camp.In the last two and half years, the government has spent over Rs 13 lakh on Kochu Ayyappan. There were more such elephants in the camp, arrested on various accounts. With the state departments unable to maintain the elephants, they are going to be handed over to their owners, who in turn have been asked to pay huge amounts as bail bonds.Kochu Ayyappan’s bail bond has been paid, and on Wednesday he will walk away from the elephant camp, finally free. Watch the video here: