KOCHI: The probe into MDMA seizure by excise department has led to further controversies amid allegations of flawed investigation as CCTV visuals of two women, including the one whose arrest was not recorded, hiding the drug packet in the apartment surfaced. Earlier, after seizing 1.085kg of MDMA during a second search, excise had filed a case only under Section 22(c), without the names of the accused in the FIR, under NDPS Act.
The visuals contradict the excuse of excise officers for not mentioning the names of the accused in the FIR. They had claimed that they had no leads to establish the link between the seizure of 1.085kg of MDMA and the arrested accused. The visuals give rise to a question: was an attempt made by certain officers to dilute the investigation and favour the accused. The CCTV footage also showed one of the accused men carrying the MDMA packet. Also, the accused Shabna is seen carrying the packet to allegedly hide the contraband. Another woman, an Alappuzha native whose arrest was not recorded though she was taken into custody, is seen accompanying her.
Meanwhile, forest officers on Thursday recovered the deer antler, which was seized from the apartment during the raid on Aug 19 and not mentioned in the mahasar submitted by excise in court, from the excise office in Kacheripady. A team led by Kodanad forest range officer collected the 36cmlong antler from excise officers.
Though excise didn’t officially comment on the procedural lapse, it is learnt that officers tried to justify their mistake by saying that adding antler into an NDPS case mahasar would lead to a confusion. “The antler appears to be very old. Paint stain and the marks of screws on it show that it might have been affixed to a wall for decorative purposes. We registered a case against the five accused under Wildlife Protection Act and their arrest will be recorded. A joint mahasar was readied with excise testifying that the antler was seized from the flat,” said a forest officer.
But, forest officers said that it will be difficult for them to prove that the antler belonged to the accused persons as excise officers didn’t mention it in the mahasar. “Excise failed to inform us about the antler right after it was seized and they failed to add it among the recovered objects in the mahasar, which is likely to weaken the prosecution,” said a source. Earlier in the day, excise additional commissioner (enforcement) Abdul Rashi, who is in charge of the departmental inquiry, visited the zonal office in Kacheripady and collected details.
Meanwhile, excise minister MV Govindan said a detailed enquiry is being conducted by the department and directives were given to the excise commissioner to submit a report. Based on that action will be taken, he said, while refusing to comment on allegations of a flawed probe.
