More than a decade since a criminal case was registered against V.N.Sudhakaran, former foster son of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, a special court here on Monday freed him from the case related to alleged illegal possession of heroin.
The court cited the prosecution’s failure to prove the charge as one of the reasons for the acquittal. The court also acquitted V.Baskaran and K. Mohideen who were cited as co-accused in the case while another Salahuddin is still absconding.
C.Chinnappan, Principal Special Judge for cases under Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act, said that the investigation officer deliberately acted with intention of filing the case against the accused. The prosecution had not conducted the investigation ‘properly.’ He held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge against the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
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According to the prosecution, on the basis of the complaint given by Gobu Sirdhar, Pondy Bazaar Police station registered a case against Mr.Sudhakaran and others in 2001. In the course of investigation, the police inspector searched his house on Habibullah Road and arrested him on June 13, 2001 on the charge of illegal possession of the substance. Mr Sudhakaran’s accomplice V.Baskaran alias Thottam Baskaran had surrendered himself before the court.
The prosecution had claimed quoting Mr Baskaran that Mr. Sudhakaran had been in the habit of using the substance and he used to procure heroin through his friends Salahuddin and Mohideen.
The police were said to have seized heroin weighing 72 grams at the office of Baskaran in Abiramapuram. In this instance, Abiramapuram police registered a case, in which Mr Sudhakaran was the prime accused.
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In 2010, the Madras High Court ordered that the two cases be clubbed. It also allowed the prosecution to amend the charge sheet. Hence, the charge sheet alleged that all the four accused committed offence under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act.