Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: A Goa court has acquitted a Nigerian national in a cocaine-related case registered in 2014 after pointing out serious shortcomings in the police investigation and gaps in the prosecution’s evidence.
While delivering the judgment, the court noted that the investigating agency failed to properly establish the handling and custody of the seized narcotics, raising doubts about the reliability of the evidence produced before the court.
The accused had been booked under provisions of the NDPS Act in connection with alleged possession of cocaine. However, during the trial, the court found procedural inconsistencies and deficiencies in the investigation, which weakened the prosecution’s case.
Observing that criminal charges must be proved beyond reasonable doubt, the court extended the benefit of doubt to the accused and ordered his acquittal.
The ruling also underlined the importance of strict compliance with legal procedures in narcotics investigations, particularly in matters involving seizure, documentation and preservation of evidence.
