Archive · 10 Jan 2026
Kerala MLA Disqualified Over 1990 Drug Case
A long time ago, in 1990, a man from Australia was caught with drugs hidden in his underwear at an airport in India.
A lawyer named Antony Raju, who later became a politician, was helping the man.
The court found the man guilty, but later, it was discovered that the underwear didn't fit the man.
The court then found the man not guilty.
However, it was suspected that Raju had tampered with the underwear to make it not fit.
After many years, Raju was found guilty of tampering with evidence and was sentenced to jail.
Because of this, he had to leave his job as a politician.
Antony Raju, a Kerala MLA, was disqualified after being sentenced to three years in jail for tampering with evidence in a 1990 drug case.
The case involved an Australian man, Andrew Salvatore Cervelli, who was caught with hashish concealed in his underwear.
Raju, then a lawyer, was accused of altering the underwear to make it not fit Cervelli, leading to his acquittal.
The Supreme Court restored the proceedings against Raju in November 2024, leading to his conviction on January 3, 2025.
Raju and a clerk, K Jose, were found guilty of tampering with material evidence, with Raju allegedly boasting about planting a 'bomb' in the case.
- Who
- Antony Raju, a Kerala MLA and former transport minister
- What
- Disqualified from Kerala Assembly for tampering with evidence in a 1990 drug case
- When
- Sentenced on January 3, 2025, with the original case dating back to 1990
- Where
- Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
- Why
- Raju was found guilty of altering evidence in a drug case involving an Australian man
- MLA Disqualified
- Antony Raju
- Sentence
- 3-year jail term
- Original Case
- 1990 drug case involving Australian man
- Evidence Tampered
- Underwear that didn't fit
- High Court Decision
- Acquitted Australian man in 1991
- Charges Against Raju
- Tampering with evidence
- Supreme Court Action
- Restored proceedings in November 2024
- Conviction Date
- January 3, 2025