Fabricated drug case: Kerala HC allows police custody of accused
Justice V G Arun directed the sessions court to grant custody of Das to police within five days, corresponding to the days on which the custody of Livia Jose, the second accused, is granted. The court was considering a police petition challenging the sessions court's earlier refusal to grant custody.
Sheela was arrested on Feb 27, 2023, by excise officials following the seizure of a bag containing 12 LSD stamps from her scooter, based on secret information.
She was remanded and remained incarcerated for 72 days. However, a chemical analysis later confirmed that the seized material did not contain Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD).
Subsequent investigation revealed that Sheela had been falsely implicated due to personal animosity. Livia, her daughter-in-law's younger sister, allegedly conspired with Das to frame her. Das was arrested on April 29, 2025. After Livia's arrest on June 13, the police approached the sessions court seeking custody of both accused for further interrogation. While custody of Livia was granted, the court rejected the request in respect of Das, citing the expiry of the statutory period for police custody.
This prompted the police to approach HC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
HC ends fight over handling of dogs between neighbours
New Delhi: Putting an end to a fight that took place "for the love of dogs", has quashed cross-FIRs lodged by two neighbours after a scuffle over the handling of their pet dogs. HC, however, made the relief conditional — that the quarrelling neighbours pay Rs 10,000 costs each at a canine shelter. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The matter pertains to the handling and supervision of the parties' respective pet dogs. The disagreement escalated during a routine dog walk, leading to a heated altercation which further degenerated into an unsavoury scuffle, with each side alleging assault, intimidation and misbehaviour against the other. All of it, remarkably, in the name of their beloved pets. Truly, a case that redefines 'for the love of dogs!'" Justice Arun Monga observed. The court concluded that the dispute between the parties was private in nature and arose out of unnecessary differences between neighbours in relation to the handling of their respective pets. "Continuation of the criminal proceedings would serve no useful purpose and would rather amount to an abuse of the process of law. Not quashing the criminal proceedings would rekindle hostility, whereas quashing the same would promote cordiality and bonhomie between the neighbours," HC noted in an order passed on Wednesday. The court agreed to quash the FIRs and asked the parties to cough up Rs 10,000 each "for the love of their pets" as costs to a dog shelter maintained and run by Unity for Stray Animal Foundation. It allowed their joint prayer to end the matter after the parties amicably settled their disputes of their own free will and without any coercion or duress. The two FIRs arose out of a 2024 incident about which the parties gave different versions. The heated argument snowballed into an ugly fight and the matter landed up before police, with each side levelling several allegations against the other. Counsels for both sides submitted there was a serious misunderstanding on the part of their clients that led to the lodging of the two cross-FIRs, and they later settled the matter and signed a memorandum of understanding.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Cops in plain clothes assault lawyer over parking; no duty for ASI, says HC
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: The assault of a Calcutta High Court lawyer by plain clothes cops in Salt Lake over a parking tiff on Wednesday night prompted the HC to ask Bidhannagar City Police commissioner not to assign any duty to the cop, a Bidhannagar East police station ASI. The court also asked cops to preserve all CCTV footage of the assault. The assaulted lawyer, Manujendra Narayan Roy, who is being treated in a Salt Lake hospital for a left hip bone fracture, is the son of retired HC judge Ranendra Narayan Roy. Police told the HC that the ASI also sustained severe head injuries in the scuffle and was hospitalised. Roy, who represents the state at the State Administrative Tribunal, instructed his son, Sourindra, a first-year law student, to park the car near their home. The ASI and another person in plain clothes approached Sourindra and allegedly started interrogating him, leading to an argument and then a scuffle, when the ASI allegedly pinned the youth down. Hearing his screams, Roy, who was in his chamber at the time, stepped in. According to their submissions in the HC, the ASI allegedly thrashed Roy, who fell, and they allegedly tried to drag him. They moved HC seeking an urgent hearing, demanding criminal proceedings, suspension of the ASI and people involved, as well as preservation of CCTV footage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Justice Tithankar Ghosh scheduled the matter for hearing on Monday. He told Sourindra to sign the complaint at the PS , which was emailed to Bidhannagar East PS. The HC also sought medical reports. According to Roy's daughter Shreya, Sourindra picked her up from tuition in the car and parked it near the AK Block park around 8 pm. "Around 10.30 pm, my father asked my brother to fetch the car," she said. Locals said a team of two cops, known popularly as PC party (police patrols), came to the spot for a daily night round. "My brother was detained and asked to identify himself. He did as asked. The two men then started insisting he show the ID card. My brother objected as they were not in uniform. An argument followed, and my brother was slapped. When my father asked why the cops were behaving this way, he was kicked, and sustained a cracked pelvic bone," Shreya said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata Deputy Police Commissioner (Bidhannagar) Anish Sarkar said, "If a complaint is received, it will be investigated." Raja Banik, joint secretary of AK Block, said, "Even after repeated incidents, the police are yet to hold meetings with us on the parking issue and on the inferior condition of Canal Road that is leading to people using the AK Block lanes instead." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Public servants need to exercise restraint & sensitivity while dealing with citizens: Kerala HC
Kochi: High court has observed that while a citizen approaching a public servant may react in different ways, patience must be the guiding principle in such situations. A public servant can act only in accordance with law, but even so, bureaucrats must conduct themselves with restraint and sensitivity, as this is key to the success of democracy, the court said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice P V Kunhikrishnan made these remarks while quashing a case against Manilal of Thiruvananthapuram, who was accused of using criminal force against a tehsildar and uttering obscene words during a quarrel. According to prosecution, the incident occurred in 2020, when Manilal accompanied his 76-year-old father-in-law to a hearing before the tehsildar (LR) in Kollam in connection with the mutation of three cents of property. When the tehsildar refused to proceed with the matter on the grounds that the opposite party was represented by another person, Manilal questioned the decision, leading to an altercation. The Kollam East police registered a case on the tehsildar's complaint, alleging that Manilal entered his chamber, uttered obscene words, snatched a file from a section clerk, and threw the file and plastic chairs, thereby obstructing the discharge of duty by a public servant. Manilal had earlier filed a discharge petition before a magistrate court, which partly allowed his plea by setting aside the charge under Section 294B IPC (uttering obscene words). Dissatisfied, he approached HC. Upon perusal of records, HC noted that snatching an official file, placing it back on the table, and hitting a plastic chair on the floor could only be seen as sudden gestures of a son-in-law placed in an embarrassing situation with his father-in-law. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Even if the allegations were accepted in full, the court held, they did not amount to the use of criminal force against a public servant. Accordingly, the case against Manilal was quashed. At the same time, HC remarked that Manilal, being a bank manager, ought to have avoided such a situation in a govt office. It also stressed that bureaucratic red-tapism often triggers unpleasant incidents. "A humane touch is necessary in every administrative act. Every decision taken in an office affects a life outside of it. Administrative decisions are not mere papers; they are lives in progress," HC observed. The bench further noted that the success of democracy depends not only on governance by elected representatives but also on the humane approach of bureaucrats in supporting such governance. Without empathy, it said, democratic govts cannot succeed. "Empathy is the bridge between a democratic govt and its people. Bureaucracy has a vital role in this." Concluding, HC observed that the entire incident could have been avoided if the officials had adopted a pragmatic approach. "That is why it is often said that bureaucracy should serve democracy, not be its master," it added.
