The new job opportunity has turned into a tormenting five -month suffering for two men who were unjustly imprisoned for MDMA, and after the test report was released, it revealed that the seized substance was rock sugar.
Manicandan, 46 years old, from Kannur and Biju Mathew of Kolichal in the Caragod, was arrested 26 November 2024 by the Police of Nadakava in Kozhikode. Officers with district anti-arotic special action forces (Dansaf) reportedly found 58 grams of white powder in the manicandan pocket and assumed it was MDMA.
Despite their claims that the powder was only rocky sugar, they were both booked and transported. With the chemical news waiting for their requests on bail, they were rejected. Only 151. The day in custody was chemical analysis confirmed what they maintained all the time – the substance was not narcotics.
When he talked to the Hindu, Mr. Mathew described this experience as a nightmare that found him for his life. “Those days in prison felt endless. I was still thinking about my mother, who was alone,” he said.
“Nightmare”
Mr. Mathew said that he and Mr. Manicandan, drivers and friends for a long time met at the Kanhangad 24 station. November and traveled to Kozhikode to start. “We rented a room and had a liqueur with rock sugar like a side dish. When we went down for dinner, the Dansaf team surrounded us and took us into custody,” he said.
“They found rock sugar in a manicandan pocket. They refused to listen to us and insisted it was MDMA.” said.
Only a few months later, the report of the forensic laboratory showed their innocence, which caused the court of Vadakar NDPS to order their release. However, the wrapping brought only little comfort. “People treated us as criminals. My relatives refused to talk to me,” Mathew said.
Without work and without income and serious emotional damage to the shoe, his life was difficult after his release and decided to tell the story to clean his name. When he asked about legal steps against officials who were falsely involved, he said he had no means to fight the case. “But I want people to know the truth.”
The attempts to contact Mr. Manicandan met with silence. But Mr. Mathew said his friend suffered the same way. “His daughter had to stop her nursing studies because she couldn’t pay her fee when she was in prison,” he said.
DANSAF version
Dansaf’s head officer said on the condition of anonymity that the duo was arrested on the basis of trusted intelligence. “According to our sources, they came to Kozhikode to buy MDMA, but they were cheated and instead of rock sugar,” the officer said.
He claimed that the duo admitted to this during the interrogation. “As soon as the results of the laboratory were out, they changed their version of the events,” the officer added.
Published – May 28, 2025 20:49
