Thiruvananthapuram, 03 Jan (H.S.):In a significant setback to senior Left leader and former Kerala Minister Antony Raju, the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Friday found him guilty in the long-pending “thondimuthal” (case-property) tampering case. The court also convicted the first accused, Jose, a former court employee, holding both men culpable of serious criminal offences connected to manipulation of evidence.

Delivering the verdict nearly 19 years after the charge sheet was filed, the court ruled that the accused were guilty of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust by public servants, destruction of evidence, fabrication of false evidence, violation of legal duties by a public servant, and preparation of forged documents. The court observed that the offences struck at the integrity of the justice delivery system and warranted conviction.

According to the prosecution, the case dates back to 1990, when a foreign national was arrested at the Thiruvananthapuram airport for possession of narcotic substances. It was alleged that Antony Raju, then practising as a lawyer, conspired with court staff to tamper with the seized case property in order to help the accused escape prosecution. The manipulation allegedly led to the foreign national being discharged from the narcotics case.

The matter resurfaced later when the same individual was convicted in another criminal case and, while in prison, reportedly disclosed the earlier manipulation to a fellow inmate. This revelation triggered a fresh probe, culminating in the registration of the present case in 1994. However, the filing of the charge sheet itself took 13 years, and the trial was delayed further due to a series of legal challenges.

Antony Raju had approached the Supreme Court and other courts seeking to quash the charge sheet, which contributed to the prolonged pendency. Eventually, the Supreme Court directed that the trial be completed within one year, paving the way for final arguments before the Nedumangad court.

The prosecution examined 19 witnesses out of a total list of 29. Eight witnesses could not be examined due to death or illness, while two were dropped from the witness list by the prosecution. Based on the available oral and documentary evidence, the court concluded that the charges under Sections 465 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code, among others, were proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The court will pronounce the sentence on a later date. The verdict has triggered sharp political reactions, with the conviction of a sitting MLA and former minister expected to have wider ramifications in Kerala’s political landscape.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman