By Our Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram: Antony Raju, the sitting MLA from Thiruvananthapuram and former state Transport Minister, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a decades-old evidence tampering case. The conviction handed down by the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, stems from events in 1990 and automatically triggers his disqualification from the legislative assembly under the Representation of the People Act, as the sentence exceeds two years.
The case dates back to April 4, 1990, when Australian national Andrew Salvatore Cervelli was arrested at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport with 61.5 grams of hashish concealed in his underwear. Raju, then a junior lawyer working under senior advocate Celine Wilfred, represented Cervelli. While the trial court initially convicted Cervelli to 10 years imprisonment and ₹1 lakh fine, the Kerala High Court acquitted him in appeal, citing discrepancies in the evidence—specifically doubts over whether the submitted underwear truly belonged to the accused.
Prosecutors alleged that Raju, in conspiracy with court clerk Jose (the first accused), tampered with the key evidence by replacing the original underwear to create reasonable doubt, ultimately aiding Cervelli’s acquittal. The criminal proceedings against Raju were initiated in 1994 but faced multiple delays, including a 12-year investigation leading to a 2006 charge sheet. The Supreme Court revived the case in November 2024 after it had been quashed earlier, paving the way for the trial’s conclusion.
Today, the court found Raju guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 193 (fabricating false evidence), 409 (criminal breach of trust), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). The three-year sentence was pronounced amid high anticipation, with the court rejecting the prosecution’s request to transfer the case to a higher judicial magistrate.
Raju, a member of the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress and part of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), was granted bail immediately after the verdict to allow him to appeal the decision in higher courts. However, legal experts note that while appeals may stay the sentence, the conviction itself could still enforce disqualification, barring him from contesting elections for six years if upheld. This development comes just months before the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 2026, potentially reshaping alliances and candidate selections in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
Public reactions on social media have been swift, with discussions focusing on the long-delayed justice and its impact on political accountability in Kerala. Opposition leaders from the United Democratic Front (UDF) have called for Raju’s immediate resignation, while LDF allies have expressed support for his right to appeal. The case, often dubbed the “underwear tampering” scandal, has shadowed Raju’s career for over three decades, from his days as a lawyer to his rise as a prominent politician.
Raju has maintained his innocence throughout, claiming the charges are politically motivated. His legal team is expected to challenge the verdict in the Kerala High Court soon. As the dust settles, this conviction marks a rare instance of a sitting legislator facing such repercussions, highlighting ongoing debates about ethics in public office.
