Former Thodupuzha municipal chairman accuses police of framing him in drug case

Former Thodupuzha municipal chairman Saneesh George, who was taken into custody on Thursday (September 17, 2026) while allegedly attempting to use synthetic drugs, raised serious allegations against the police on Friday (September 18), claiming that officers intentionally framed him.

Speaking to reporters in Thodupuzha on Friday, Mr. George claimed that the police did not seize any MDMA from his possession. “I was riding a two-wheeler that contained an empty pouch and tools used for consuming MDMA, but I do not know who kept those empty plastic pouches there. The police sprayed pepper spray in my face and questioned me, yet they only imposed a fine of ₹2,000 for smoking in a public place,” said Mr. George.

Mr. George further alleged that certain police officers loyal to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) intentionally framed him. “I am a timber businessman and need to interact with people from all walks of life. After the news broke, my three daughters contemplated suicide, and my wife fainted. Taking me into custody was a deliberate attempt to tarnish my image as a Congress worker,” he alleged.

Mr. George was taken into custody from Kodikkulam, near Thodupuzha, during an operation conducted by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) as part of Operation Toofan, Keralam’s anti-drug drive, in the early hours of Thursday. The police stated that drug paraphernalia was seized from the former municipal chairman during the search.

In 2020, the LDF captured power in the Thodupuzha municipality by backing Mr. George, who had contested as a Congress rebel, for the post of chairman. He was unseated in 2024 after being named the second accused in a bribery case, after which he returned to the Congress party.

Meanwhile, Idukki District Police Chief A. Naseem refuted Mr. George’s claims, stating that the police tracked him down through cyber surveillance. “The police tracked him based on solid evidence. Equipment used for inhaling the synthetic drug MDMA, along with a small quantity of the substance, was seized from him. The police recorded the entire procedure on video. Section 27 (b) was invoked for the consumption of synthetic drugs after we received intelligence that a group would arrive in the area with a large quantity of MDMA. The allegations raised by the former municipal chairman are completely baseless, and the police have comprehensive video evidence,” added Mr. Naseem.