The Karnataka High Court in Bengaluru has criticized three police officers for falsely charging two students under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, despite forensic evidence from a laboratory proving their innocence. Justice M Nagaprasanna expressed deep concerns over the impact of these false allegations on the lives of students Hanumantha and Manjunatha from Gunjur near Varthur. The court has ordered disciplinary action or a departmental inquiry against the officers involved, including the station house officer, the officer who filed the complaint, and the investigating officer. The court has requested a report on the actions taken within 12 weeks. The incident occurred on Aug 11, 2019, when probationary cop Raj Kumar reported catching the two students allegedly consuming ganja near Krupanidhi College. A complaint was filed under the NDPS Act, and blood samples were taken. However, subsequent forensic analysis showed no presence of narcotics in their blood. Despite this, the investigating officer proceeded to file charges under the same section of the NDPS Act, leading to legal action against the students. The students argued that they were framed, which had serious personal and professional repercussions, including lost job opportunities. The SHO of Varthur police station admitted the mistake in filing the chargesheet. Justice Nagaprasanna pointed out several irregularities in the case after reviewing the evidence.The judge highlighted that due to the negligence of the police officers who failed to send the alleged 15 grams of marijuana to the FSL, did not maintain proper seizure records, and omitted complainant Raj Kumar from the list of witnesses in the chargesheet, the petitioners continue to suffer. The judge pointed out the malicious actions evident in the case, noting that the FSL report clearly stated that the blood samples did not contain any illegal substances, contradicting the information in the chargesheet. The judge emphasized that the responsible officers involved in mishandling the case must face disciplinary action, directing the disciplinary authority to conduct an inquiry. Additionally, a directive was given to issue a circular mandating all empowered officers to adhere to specific sections of the NDPS Act and the Supreme Court's rulings to prevent similar incidents in the future. The court underscored the importance of combating the drug issue while respecting legal procedures, warning that any procedural lapses could jeopardize the legal proceedings against the accused.