Seven including MLA U Prathibha's son acquitted in ganja case, chargesheet filed

ALAPPUZHA: Seven including CPM MLA U Prathibha's son Kaniv were dropped from the ganja case as police filed the chargesheet on Thursday. The charge sheet was filed in the Ambalappuzha court. There are now only two accused in the case. The FIR was initially filed with Kaniv as the ninth accused. Earlier, the Excise had submitted an interim report to the court stating that seven people had been dropped due to lack of evidence.

On December 28, the Kuttanad Excise team arrested nine people, including U Prathibha MLA's son Kaniv, from Alappuzha Thakazhi, while the gang were allegedly using ganja. A case was registered for the use of banned substances in public places. The accused were then released on bail. The MLA then appeared on social media to lash out at the media, and then term it as a fake case.

U Prathibha sharply criticized the excise in the assembly and the CPM district conference. Moreover, U Prathibha filed a complaint against the excise officials to the Chief Minister. Subsequently, an investigation conducted by Alappuzha Excise Assistant Commissioner S Ashok Kumar found that the officials committed lapse while investigating the case.

Three grams of cannabis and a bong prepared for its use were seized from the first and second accused. There is no evidence to implicate the others. The accused were not subjected to a medical examination when they were taken into custody, and there are no witnesses who directly saw them smoking cannabis.