However, in a shocking turn of events, the court ruled that the Australian accused should be given back his personal belongings, including his underwear.

Although the Australian national was initially convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the Kerala High Court later acquitted him, ruling that the underwear did not fit him. It was later revealed that Raju had collected the underwear and returned it to the court, leading to suspicions of evidence tampering.

At the time, the court also expressed its concern that the possibility of tampering with the evidence cannot be ruled out, prompting a vigilance investigation. An FIR was filed in 1994 and a final report was drawn up, naming Raju and a court staff member as accused persons in the case.

For years, the case remained in legal limbo, but media attention in 2022 revived the issue, prompting Raju to approach the High Court for a resolution. While the High Court agreed to quash the criminal case against him, it also called for fresh proceedings. This decision was later challenged in the Supreme Court where both Raju and Ajayan filed special leave petitions.

Ajayan, though not directly involved in the case, objected to the High Court’s quashing of the charges.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court rejected the High Court’s conclusion that the case should be dismissed on technical grounds. The Court emphasized that tampering with evidence, especially when it involves something as “significant” as a piece of underwear, cannot be taken lightly.

This case, which could easily be mistaken for the plot of a courtroom farce, continued to raise eyebrows. As the trial progresses, one can only wonder what bizarre developments will take place in this strange legal battle.

For now, Raju will have to face the music again – and that old pair of underwear – when he appears in court on December 20.