'Such Incident Can Happen Only In Banana Republic' : Kerala Court Slams Police For Arrest Of Man Over 10 Millilitres Liquor

The Manjeri Sessions Court on Saturday (1, November) had granted bail to a person accused of violating the Abkari Act for allegedly storing 10 milliliters of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in his shop.The court questioned the motives of the investigating officer, calling his action “excessive and questionable.”The case was registered in Valanchery Police Station, against the accused under Section 55(a)(i) of the Abkari Act for allegedly keeping 10 Milliliters of IMFL “for sale” at his barbershop in Valanchery. Sessions Judge K. Sanilkumar, while delivering the order noted that only 10 milliliters of IMFL was seized. The court observed that individuals are legally permitted to possess up to three liters of IMFL for personal consumption under the Abkari Act.The Court questioned the motive of the Investigating Officer in entwining the accused in such a grave crime, noting that the accused belongs to a socially and economically disadvantaged section of the society. “This court is inclined to suspect the real motives of the Investigating Officer in entwining the accused who is presumably from a socially and economically disadvantaged section of society in a grave crime. The climatic point of the prosecution narrative is that the bottle with 10 Milliliters IMFL was found in a barber shop, and this court wonders whether the IMFL was being used by the accused, a barber by profession, as an after shave to be applied on his customers.” the bench observed. The order criticized the investigating officer for overstepping his limits and displaying a zeal which was both excessive and questionable as the accused has been in judicial custody for 7 days for the offence. “Such an incident has no place in the world's greatest democracy, and can happen only in a banana republic. It is highly imperative that the Investigating Officer is sensitized in such matters, particularly in dealing with the disadvantaged sections of society.” the order stated, urging senior police officials to look into the matter.The Court granted bail to the petitioner on an executing a bond of ₹10,000 with two solvent sureties. The court also imposed standard conditions, barring interference with witnesses or evidence and prohibiting further offenses during the bail period.Case Title: Dhanesh v State of KeralaCase No: Crl. M C 1192/ 2025Click Here To Read/ Download Order

'Such Incident Can Happen Only In Banana Republic' : Kerala Court Slams Police For Arrest Of Man Over 10 Millilitres Liquor

Anamika MJ

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