The Kerala High Court has directed the State government to pay a compensation of ₹2,50,000 each to two persons from Kollam for keeping them in illegal custody after falsely implicating them in Abkari cases by excise officials.
Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan also directed the State government to conduct a study/enquiry about the search, seizure, arrest and investigation made in Abkari cases in the past five years by appointing an appropriate person and do the needful in accordance with the law. The action taken report should be submitted before the court in six weeks, the court ordered.
The court pointed out that in 70% to 90% of Abkari cases, the independent witnesses turned hostile. This was a serious concern, which had to be looked into by the government and legislature, and the manner in which the search, seizure and investigation in the Abkari cases were conducted should be revisited.
