The Karnataka High Court has criticized three police officers for wrongly accusing two students of violating the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Bengaluru. This came despite a forensic science laboratory report proving the students’ innocence. Justice M Nagaprasanna, while reviewing a petition from students named Hanumantha and Manjunatha, residents of Gunjur near Varthur in the city's technology hub, expressed grave concerns about how their lives were adversely affected by the false charges filed by the police. The court ordered disciplinary action or a departmental inquiry against the involved officers, including the station house officer (SHO), the complaint-filing officer, and the investigating officer. The court also requested a report on the actions taken within 12 weeks.

The incident occurred on August 11, 2019, when probationary officer Raj Kumar from Varthur police station reported to his superiors that he had apprehended the two students near Krupanidhi College for alleged ganja consumption. Despite their blood tests showing no traces of narcotics, a chargesheet was still filed under Section 27 of the NDPS Act. This led to a special court taking up the case and summoning the students. The students contested the charges, citing wrongful framing that had serious repercussions on their personal and professional lives, even causing missed job opportunities abroad. In a court appearance, the SHO acknowledged errors in the chargesheet filing, admitting it contradicted the FSL report. Justice Nagaprasanna, after a detailed review of the case, highlighted numerous irregularities.The judge highlighted the negative impact caused by the police officers' failure to send the alleged 15 grams of marijuana for forensic analysis, lack of proper seizure documentation, and exclusion of witness Raj Kumar from the chargesheet. These actions continue to harm the petitioners, according to the judge. The judge pointed out that the misconduct is evident from the record, as the FSL report clearly stated that the blood samples did not contain any illegal substances or derivatives, contradicting what was recorded in the chargesheet. The judge emphasized that the officers involved must be held accountable for jeopardizing the lives of the young students and directed the disciplinary authority to conduct an inquiry. Additionally, the competent authority was instructed to issue a circular mandating all officers to adhere to specific sections of the NDPS Act and the Supreme Court's directives to prevent similar misconduct. The court emphasized the need to combat drug-related issues while following legal procedures, warning that any violations could lead to the invalidation of proceedings against the accused due to errors by officers. Justice Nagaprasanna's order highlighted the importance of upholding legal standards to prevent individuals from exploiting loopholes in the system.