Garam masala was declared a drug, and was imprisoned for 57 days. Now, he will have to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

The Jabalpur High Court in Madhya Pradesh has imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on the government in a 16-year-old case. Security agencies arrested an innocent man at Bhopal Airport for allegedly carrying garam masala. He was jailed for 57 days. The victim has now won the case. The court has awarded compensation of ₹10 lakh.

The Jabalpur High Court has delivered its verdict after 16 years in the case of garam masala being declared a drug at the Bhopal airport, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. The High Court, while delivering a significant verdict in favor of Gwalior engineer Ajay Singh, sharply criticized the state government and the functioning of investigative agencies. The court acknowledged that technical flaws and delays in the investigation caused an innocent man to suffer mental, social, and professional harm for a decade and a half. The Jabalpur High Court directed the state government to pay Ajay Singh 10 lakh rupees in compensation.

Garam masala was branded a drug 16 years ago . This entire incident dates back to 2010. Ajay Singh, an engineer from Gwalior, arrived at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport to fly to Delhi. During security checks at the airport, his bag was scanned. An explosive detector alerted him. Suspicious, security officials thoroughly searched his bag and discovered a powder-like substance. Initial investigations mistook it for a narcotic substance, and without sufficient verification, Ajay Singh was taken into custody.

He was jailed for 75 days. Later, the police filed a serious drug trafficking case against him and he was sent to jail. This action by the investigating agencies resulted in an educated and professional man being imprisoned for 57 days among criminals. The substance, which was believed to be a narcotic, actually turned out to be mango powder, a commonly used culinary ingredient. It took nearly two months for the Forensic Science Lab report to arrive, which revealed that the case was the result of a complete misunderstanding and technical error.

Ajay Singh was granted bail after the report came out, but the incident left a profound impact on his life. He appealed the case to the court and continued his legal battle against the negligence of the system. After a long time, a single bench of the Jabalpur High Court, hearing the case, made important observations.

The Court stated that the petitioner's damages cannot be compensated solely due to technical failures or a lack of resources. The Court acknowledged that investigating agencies must thoroughly verify the facts before taking action against any individual. The Court also stated that the incident has caused serious damage to the petitioner's social reputation, career, and mental state, which cannot be fully compensated.

The Jabalpur High Court ordered the state government to pay a compensation of ₹10 lakh to Ajay Singh. This court decision not only provides relief to the victim but also sends an important message to security agencies and forensic departments. This decision makes it clear that the fundamental rights of any citizen cannot be ignored in the name of scientific investigation and security procedures.

News is originally taken from: https://bit.ly/4tYAH2w

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