Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5 : Former Minister Antony Raju, who represents the Thiruvananthapuram Assembly constituency, has been disqualified from the Kerala Legislative Assembly following his conviction in a 1990 drug seizure case. He was convicted for tampering with evidence.
The Secretariat of the Kerala Legislature issued a notification on Monday about his disqualification.
The seat has fallen vacant with effect from January 3, 2026, the day the member of the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress and an ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) was sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment by the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I Court, Nedumangad, in the case.
With the conviction, he stands disqualified under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and as per Supreme Court rulings.
The case relates to alleged tampering of evidence connected to a 1990 drug seizure at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
In that incident, 61.5 grams of hashish was seized from an Australian national. Raju, who was a junior lawyer at that time, had appeared for the accused.
The court found that evidence in the case was tampered with, especially an undergarment which was a crucial piece of evidence.
Along with Raju, K S Jose, a former court clerk, was also convicted.
Both were found guilty under several sections of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy and disappearance of evidence.
Raju was awarded multiple sentences, the highest being three years. Jose was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, apart from other punishments.
Though the prosecution had requested that the sentencing be transferred to a higher court due to limits on the magistrate’s powers, the plea was dismissed and the magistrate proceeded with the sentencing.
He was granted bail to allow him to approach a higher court on appeal.
Before sentencing, Raju maintained that the case was politically motivated and asserted his innocence.
He said earlier vigilance and police inquiries during the A K Antony government had found no evidence against him.
The case was registered in 2005 after a vigilance probe ordered by the Kerala High Court.
Though the High Court had quashed the case in 2023, the Supreme Court restored it in 2024 and directed that the trial be completed within a year. During the trial, 29 witnesses were examined. (PTI)
