Evidence tampering case: Antony Raju to face trial, rules SC

New Delhi: Former minister Antony Raju suffered a setback in the evidence tampering case when the Supreme Court ruled that the case will proceed and Raju will face trial. Antony Raju is accused of helping the accused in a drug case.

The case against Antony Raju is that, he had tampered the evidence to help an Australian citizen in a drug case. The Australian was arrested by the police on April 4, 1990 at Thiruvananthapuram airport, as he tried to smuggle drugs hiding it inside his underwear. Sessions court had sentenced the accused in connection with the case. But an appeal was filed before the High court and he was exonerated by HC as it was found that the evidence, the underwear, produced before the court was undersized. 

It was alleged that, Antony Raju had tampered with the evidence. The accused had returned to Australia and was arrested in connection with a murder case, which led to the revelation of the evidence tampering in Kerala. In this case, Antony Raju was the first accused and court staff Jose was the second accused.

Antony Raju, leader of the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress and a former transport minister of the LDF government, had petitioned the court against initiating fresh proceedings in the case he handled as a junior lawyer in 1990.

Earlier, the Kerala government had taken a firm stand against the former minister in connection with this case. The government filed a counter affidavit, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations against the minister. The state government asserted that the petition seeking to halt fresh proceedings related to the case should be dismissed. The government also refuted Antony Raju's claim that the case is a ploy to destroy his political career.