Court Awards ₹10 Lakh Compensation After Man Jailed Over Garam Masala Mistaken for Heroin
Court Awards ₹10 Lakh Compensation After Man Jailed Over Garam Masala Mistaken for Heroin ( Representative Image )
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered compensation for a businessman who spent 57 days in jail after airport screening machines wrongly flagged aamchur powder and garam masala as narcotic substances.
In a striking case highlighting flaws in forensic infrastructure, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has awarded ₹10 lakh compensation to a businessman who was wrongfully jailed for nearly two months after common kitchen spices in his luggage were allegedly identified as narcotic substances at Bhopal airport.
The case dates back to May 2010, when businessman Ajay Singh was travelling from Bhopal to Delhi on his way to Malaysia. During routine airport security screening, packets containing aamchur powder and garam masala triggered alerts on an Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) machine.
Security officials allegedly suspected the packets contained heroin and MDEA, a psychotropic substance covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Singh was immediately detained, arrested and sent to jail.
According to court records, the seized samples were initially sent to the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Bhopal. However, the laboratory reportedly returned the samples, stating it did not have the facilities required to properly test the suspected substance.
The samples were later forwarded to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Hyderabad. After scientific examination, the CFSL found that the packets did not contain any narcotic or prohibited substance.
Following the report, Singh was released on July 2, 2010, after spending 57 days in custody. A closure report was later accepted by the NDPS court.
While hearing Singh’s petition, the High Court observed that the prolonged detention was caused by serious lapses in the state’s forensic infrastructure and lack of proper testing facilities. The court noted that if adequate forensic systems had been available locally, the businessman could have been released much earlier.
The court also pointed out that ETD machines are only indicative tools and cannot be treated as conclusive proof of contraband without proper forensic confirmation. During proceedings, concerns were raised that the imported screening machine may not have been calibrated properly for aromatic Indian spices, resulting in false-positive alerts.
Calling it a violation of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution, the High Court held the state responsible for the wrongful incarceration.
The court directed the Madhya Pradesh government to pay ₹10 lakh compensation within three months. It also ordered the state’s chief secretary to inspect regional forensic laboratories and ensure they are equipped with modern testing facilities and trained personnel to prevent similar incidents in future.
The petitioner had reportedly sought a much larger compensation amount along with a probe into procurement of the airport detection machines. While the court did not grant those additional requests, it allowed Singh the liberty to pursue separate civil proceedings for further damages if he chooses.
The case has once again triggered debate over the reliability of airport screening systems and the urgent need for faster forensic verification in criminal investigations involving serious charges.
