The Karnataka High Court in Bengaluru has criticized three police officers for wrongfully charging two students under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, despite a forensic science laboratory (FSL) report proving their innocence. The students, Hanumantha and Manjunatha, residents of Gunjur near Varthur, faced serious consequences due to false allegations made by the police. The court has ordered disciplinary action or a departmental inquiry against the station house officer (SHO), the officer who filed the complaint, and the investigating officer involved, and has requested an action-taken report within 12 weeks. The incident occurred on Aug 11, 2019, when probationary cop Raj Kumar of Varthur police station reported arresting the students for allegedly consuming ganja near Krupanidhi College. Despite their blood tests showing no narcotics, a chargesheet was filed under the NDPS Act, causing the students to suffer personal and professional setbacks, including missed job opportunities in the US. The SHO of Varthur police station admitted the mistake in filing the chargesheet, which was inconsistent with the FSL report. Justice Nagaprasanna identified various irregularities in the case after reviewing the evidence.The judge highlighted the negative impact of the three officers' actions on the petitioners. This included the failure to send the alleged 15 grams of cannabis to the FSL, improper seizure records, and the omission of complainant Raj Kumar from the list of witnesses in the chargesheet. The judge emphasized the apparent maliciousness in the case, noting that despite the FSL report stating no illicit substances were found in the blood samples, the police inaccurately recorded in the chargesheet that they were present. The judge called for a departmental inquiry to be initiated against the responsible officers and directed the competent authority to issue a circular mandating compliance with specific legal procedures related to the NDPS Act and the Supreme Court's rulings. The importance of fighting drug crimes within the boundaries of established legal protocols was underscored by the court, with Justice Nagaprasanna warning that any procedural violations could lead to the dismissal of proceedings against the accused.