Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has criticized three police officers for erroneously filing charges against two students under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Despite evidence from a forensic science laboratory (FSL) proving their innocence, the officers proceeded with a false chargesheet. Justice M Nagaprasanna, presiding over a petition from students Hanumantha and Manjunatha of Gunjur near Varthur, expressed serious concerns about how the students were negatively affected by these false allegations. The court has instructed that disciplinary action or a departmental inquiry be taken against the involved officers: the station house officer (SHO), the officer who lodged the complaint, and the investigating officer. A report on the actions taken is required within 12 weeks. The incident began on August 11, 2019 when probationary officer Raj Kumar of Varthur police station reported apprehending the two students near Krupanidhi College for allegedly using ganja. Blood samples were taken and a complaint was filed under Section 27 of the NDPS Act. However, a subsequent FSL report revealed no presence of narcotics in their blood. Despite this, the investigating officer proceeded with a chargesheet under the same NDPS Act section, leading to the students being summoned to court. The students contested the accusations, stating they were framed, which had significant personal and professional repercussions, even affecting their job opportunities abroad. The SHO of Varthur police station admitted the error in filing the chargesheet during the court hearing, acknowledging it contradicted the FSL report. Justice Nagaprasanna highlighted various irregularities in the case after reviewing the evidence.The judge highlighted the negative impact caused by the failure of police officers to send the alleged 15 grams of marijuana for forensic analysis, the lack of proper seizure records, and the exclusion of complainant Raj Kumar from the list of witnesses in the chargesheet, leading to continued suffering for the petitioners. The judge also pointed out the discrepancy between the findings of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report and the information presented in the chargesheet. Emphasizing the seriousness of the matter, the judge called for a departmental inquiry to hold the responsible officers accountable and directed the issuance of a circular to ensure adherence to legal procedures outlined in the NDPS Act and relevant court rulings. The judge underscored the importance of combatting the drug problem while upholding legal standards to prevent any procedural errors that could jeopardize the case against the accused.