Chennai Court Acquits 2 After Alleged Nitravet Haul Found to Be Paracetamol

New Delhi: A case projected as a major drug haul by the Chennai police collapsed in court after sealed packets, opened during trial, were found to contain paracetamol strips instead of banned psychotropic tablets.

The revelation led to the acquittal of two brothers, Ilavarasan and Thennarasu, who had been facing trial since their arrest in December 2021, according to a a Times of India report.

Police had claimed the duo was caught at the RK Nagar IOC bus stop with 1,200 Nitravet tablets—a sedative often misused by crushing and mixing with other substances to induce a high. But the credibility of the seizure soon came under scrutiny.

The alleged contraband remained in police custody for over three months before being submitted to court, a clear breach of NDPS Act provisions. When the packets were finally opened in court, they contained paracetamol strips marked as products from licensed pharmacies.

Witness testimony further weakened the prosecution. Constable Arunkumar admitted he neither knew what tablets were seized nor saw them being sealed, while Sub-Inspector Kannan conceded he never verified the contents. No independent witnesses were present during the seizure, the “secret information” memo lacked the inspector’s mandatory endorsement, and the seizure mahazar carried no signatures of the accused.

Although two samples were reportedly confirmed as Nitravet by forensic analysis, the court observed that the bulk of the tablets—over 1,000 strips—had never been conclusively identified or linked to the accused.

Highlighting “glaring procedural lapses” and the absence of credible proof, Judge Govindharajan ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Both brothers were acquitted on September 2, reports the Times of India.