HC acquits man convicted of heroin trafficking

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has acquitted Ronald Sateeth, also known as Anand, who was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in 2021 on charges of peddling one kilogram of heroin. The case involved allegations that Anand sold the narcotics to be transported from Kanniyakumari to Sri Lanka in 2008. Justice KK Ramakrishnan issued the orders following Anand’s appeal challenging the 2021 verdict of the Madurai lower court. The judgment revealed that on August 6, 2008, the South Zonal Unit of the Narcotics Crime Bureau in Chennai received information about a Sri Lankan national, Umar Gul, being involved in drug trafficking between Sri Lanka and India through Dayaram, a resident of Madhya Pradesh. Dayaram was reportedly apprehended in Kanniyakumari with one kilogram of heroin, which he allegedly purchased from Anand and another individual. Based on Dayaram’s statement, Anand was convicted and sentenced in 2021. However, Justice Ramakrishnan, upon hearing Anand’s appeal, highlighted a crucial lack of evidence in the case. Despite Anand’s conviction based on phone calls between him and the main accused, the prosecution failed to produce concrete evidence demonstrating that the phone number in question belonged to Anand. Additionally, it was pointed out that the lower court had previously acquitted Anand of conspiracy charges. Given the absence of substantial evidence linking Anand to the alleged drug trafficking, the Madras High Court acquitted him. The judgment emphasized that without additional proof of Anand’s involvement, the conviction could not be sustained. This case sheds light on the importance of presenting irrefutable evidence in legal proceedings, especially in cases with serious implications such as drug trafficking. The acquittal underscores the need for a thorough and concrete case presentation to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.