Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5: Former Kerala minister and LDF legislator Antony Raju has been disqualified from the state Assembly following his conviction in a long-pending case involving the tampering of material evidence. The verdict was delivered on Saturday by the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.
Raju, who represented the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, stands disqualified under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in line with established Supreme Court precedents. With the court awarding him a sentence of three years’ imprisonment, the disqualification takes immediate effect, resulting in the Thiruvananthapuram Assembly seat falling vacant from January 3, 2026.
Legal experts pointed out that since the sentence exceeds two years, Raju’s disqualification will remain in force even if a higher court stays the sentence, unless the conviction itself is set aside.
The magistrate court found Raju guilty on multiple counts, including criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and fabrication of false evidence. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for criminal conspiracy, three years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 for destroying evidence, three years’ imprisonment for fabricating evidence, and an additional two-year sentence in a forgery-related charge linked to the same case.
The case relates to allegations that key material evidence — an undergarment produced as ‘thondimuthal’ — was tampered with to help a foreign national accused in a narcotics case avoid conviction. Raju was named as the second accused, while the first accused, Jose, a court staffer, was also convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
The courtroom and its surroundings witnessed tense scenes after the verdict, as a large crowd gathered outside. Supporters of the Congress-led UDF raised slogans and heckled Raju as he left the premises, prompting police to intervene and escort him safely to his vehicle.
The origins of the case date back to 1990, when Australian national Andrew Salvatore Cervelli was arrested at Thiruvananthapuram airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle 61.5 grams of contraband hidden in his underwear. Raju, then a young lawyer at the start of his political career, had appeared as Cervelli’s counsel.
While the trial court had convicted Cervelli and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, the Kerala High Court later acquitted him, noting that the underwear produced as evidence was too small to belong to the accused, raising serious doubts about the prosecution’s case. Cervelli later returned to Australia.
Subsequently, based on inputs from the Australian National Central Bureau, the investigating officer sought a fresh probe into the alleged manipulation of evidence. This inquiry ultimately led to the conviction of Raju decades after the original incident.