In a significant development, a local court in suburban Thiruvananthapuram has found Kerala’s Left Front legislator and former Transport Minister Antony Raju guilty in the long-standing “underwear evidence tampering” case. The charges proven against Raju and others involved carry penalties ranging from ten years’ imprisonment to life behind bars. The prosecution has urged the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court to oversee the sentencing, which could lead to Raju and his co-accused being transferred to prison.
This verdict comes almost two decades after the charge sheet was filed, despite the incident taking place 36 years ago. The primary accused in this case is the Court clerk, Jose, with Raju being the second accused. Notably, this ruling follows a Supreme Court decision in November 2024 that overturned a Kerala High Court ruling which had halted the legal proceedings against Raju. The case traces back to 1990 when Australian national Andrew Salvatore Cervelli was apprehended at Thiruvananthapuram airport for allegedly smuggling contraband hidden in his underwear, with Raju serving as Cervelli’s lawyer at the time.
After Cervelli’s initial conviction and subsequent acquittal by the Kerala High Court due to discrepancies in the evidence, a fresh probe was initiated following information from Australian authorities. This led to a criminal case being registered in 1994 against Raju and a court clerk, eventually resulting in a charge sheet being filed in 2006. Despite legal challenges, the Supreme Court’s decision revived the prosecution, paving the way for the recent conviction that spells trouble for Raju.
