Forensic report helps six get bail after drugs case

KOTTAYAM - Six people who were jailed for possessing brown sugar appear to have got a new crack at life after laboratory reports said the powder seized from them was sodium carbonate.

This incident has raised eyebrows among many as to how this turnaround took place.

It was on Aug 9 that a team of excise and police officials took six people into custody at Vaikom near here, following a tip-off.

The police seized an Innova car, a motorcycle and arrested the six men after seizing from them what they claimed to be 1.950 kg of brown sugar worth Rs.50 million in the drug market.

The Thodupuzha Narcotic Court sent the six accused to jail, but things went topsy-turvy when the sample was tested at the forensic laboratory in the state capital. According to the laboratory report, the seized powder had no narcotic substance in it, and it was only sodium carbonate or plain washing soda.

Based on the laboratory report, the six accused secured bail and were released Oct 15.

Now they have asked the excise department to also release their two vehicles seized.

Excise Commissioner S.Subaiha when contacted said he was “unable to give a running commentary on what happened , and the government would have to be contacted for a statement on the case.

–Indo Asian News Service