Kerala MLA and former Minister Antony Raju found guilty in evidence tampering case

In a major setback to Left legislator and former Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Nedumangadu, on Saturday (January 3, 2026) found the MLA guilty of forging and planting material evidence in a nearly two-decades-old evidence tampering case. The court is expected to pronounce the quantum of sentence shortly.

The verdict comes 19 years after the chargesheet was filed against him.

The case dates back to 1990 when Mr. Raju was a junior lawyer appearing in a narcotics case involving an Australian national, Andrew Salvatore.

Mr. Raju was accused of tampering with the Australian’s underwear, which was seized as material evidence in the drugs case.

The accused were Mr. Raju and Jose, a court clerk.

The court has now found them both guilty of the charges levelled against them.

Mr. Raju currently a leader of the Janathipathya Kerala Congress, a ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) ally.