Twist - accused escapes and his lawyer is jailed

A FORMER minister, a current MLA and an advocate – a person who solicits high esteem in any society –  this week became a laughing stock of the public at large.

The guy is none but Antony Raju who became a subject of scorn after he suffered a major legal and political setback this week.

The *Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Saturday sentenced Antony Raju to three years' imprisonment in the mainour (material evidence) tampering case. *Nedumangad is a town and municipality in the Thiruvananthapuram district, serving as the headquarters for its tehsil and revenue division, and acting as a gateway to nearby tourist spots like Agasthyarkoodam. 

Following the verdict, Raju, an MLA of Janadhipathya Kerala Congress, an LDF member, was disqualified on Monday as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

An official communication from the Speaker’s office confirmed that Raju ceased to be an MLA under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, read with relevant Supreme Court rulings. As a result, the 134–Thiruvananthapuram Assembly seat has been declared vacant with effect from January 3, 2026.

The court granted him bail as he has been given a month to approach the higher courts, if he desires.
Raju will also be barred from contesting future elections, in line with Supreme Court rulings.
Even if a higher court grants a stay on the sentence, the disqualification will continue unless the conviction itself is set aside.

The court found Antony Raju guilty of criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and fabrication of false evidence.

He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for conspiracy, three years' rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 10,000 for destroying evidence, and three years' imprisonment for creating false evidence.

He also received a two-year sentence in a forgery-related charge linked to the case.

The prosecution's demand that the case be tried by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court was rejected by the Magistrate.

The case relates to allegations that material evidence -- specifically a piece of underwear produced as mainour (thondimuthal - evidence) was tampered with to help a foreign national accused in a narcotics case to escape conviction.

Antony Raju was the second accused in the case.

The first accused, Jose, a court employee, was also convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

The case dates back to 1990, when Australian national Andrew Salvatore Cervelli was arrested at the Thiruvananthapuram airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle 61.5 grams of contraband concealed in his underwear.

Raju, then a young lawyer at the start of his political career, appeared as Cervelli's counsel.
The trial court convicted Cervelli and sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment.

However, in a dramatic turn, the Kerala High Court acquitted Cervelli on appeal after finding that the underwear produced as evidence was too small to fit him, raising serious doubts about the prosecution's case.

Cervelli subsequently returned to Australia.

Years later, following information received from the Australian National Central Bureau, the investigating officer approached the High Court seeking a probe into the alleged tampering of material evidence.

Reiterating his innocence in the evidence tampering case, Antony Raju said that there was no evidence to implicate him in the case, which he believes is politically motivated. 

The court's findings that he was guilty of the charges levelled against him prove that innocent people can be punished in court, and he has decided to fight it legally, he told the media.

Ultimately, this conviction serves as a stark reminder that even those sworn to uphold justice cannot escape its reach, and the judiciary's integrity demands accountability from every officer, ensuring public faith in our legal bedrock isn't shattered by professional dereliction.