The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the state government to pay ₹10 lakh compensation to businessman Ajay Singh, who spent 57 days in custody after airport security wrongly identified his aamchur and garam masala packets as heroin and MDEA drugs. The incident happened during baggage screening at Bhopal airport.
In a shocking case of mistaken identity and official negligence, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the state government to pay ₹10 lakh compensation to a businessman who spent 57 days in custody after airport officials wrongly identified packets of aamchur and garam masala as illegal drugs. The case involved Ajay Singh, who was detained at Raja Bhoj Airport while preparing to board a flight to Delhi.
During routine security screening, airport authorities and CISF personnel claimed that scanning equipment had detected traces of heroin and MDEA in the spice packets found in his luggage. However, later forensic testing confirmed that the packets only contained branded aamchur powder and garam masala, and no narcotic substances were present.
According to Live Law report, the court strongly criticised the delay and handling of the case, saying Ajay Singh had to remain in jail for 57 days because of negligence and the lack of proper standard laboratories in Madhya Pradesh.
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It observed that the final forensic report deserved greater importance than the airport ETD machine result, as the machine only gives an indication and is not final proof of banned substances. The court said authorities must strictly follow legal procedures in such sensitive matters and awarded ₹10 lakh compensation, calling it a case of illegal confinement and violation of Ajay Singh’s right to life and liberty.
What happened at Bhopal airport
According to reports, Ajay Singh had reached Bhopal airport to board a Delhi flight when his baggage was checked during routine screening procedures.
During the checking process, an ETD machine raised suspicion over the packets inside his bag.
The ETD machine, which is used to detect explosive or narcotic substances, reportedly showed that the branded aamchur packet contained around 1 to 4 percent heroin, while the garam masala packet allegedly showed nearly 10 percent MDEA.
Based on these results, CISF personnel detained Ajay Singh and seized the packets for further testing.
An FIR was also registered against him at Gandhi Nagar police station in Bhopal.
What are heroin and MDEA
Heroin is an illegal narcotic drug made from the opium poppy plant. It is usually found in white or brown powder form and is considered highly addictive.
MDEA, or Methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine, is a synthetic chemical drug related to MDMA. It belongs to the amphetamine family of drugs and is also known by the street name “Eve”.
Because both substances are banned narcotics, the airport detection triggered serious legal action against Ajay Singh.
Delay in forensic testing
After the seizure, the packets were sent to the Regional Forensic Laboratory (RFL) for testing.
According to the victim’s lawyer, the laboratory delayed the examination process and later returned the samples without completing proper testing.
The laboratory reportedly informed authorities that it did not have enough equipment to conduct the required examination.
Due to this, the samples were later sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL) in Hyderabad for advanced testing.
The final report from the Hyderabad laboratory clearly stated that no narcotic substances were found in the seized packets.
Only after this report was received was Ajay Singh released from custody.
By then, he had already spent 57 days in detention despite not committing any crime.
High Court criticises authorities
The case later reached the Madhya Pradesh High Court, where Justice Deepak Khot strongly criticised the handling of the matter.
The court observed that due to negligence and lack of proper standard laboratories in the state, an innocent man had to remain in custody for nearly two months.
The bench said Ajay Singh suffered serious hardship without any fault of his own.
The court also pointed out that delays caused by inadequate forensic facilities worsened the situation unnecessarily.
As a result, the High Court directed the Madhya Pradesh government to pay ₹10 lakh compensation to Ajay Singh.
The court ordered that the amount must be paid within three months from the release of the order.
Questions raised over airport checks and forensic systems
The case has raised major concerns about the accuracy of airport detection systems and delays in forensic testing.
Many legal experts believe that sensitive machines like ETD scanners should always be supported by fast and reliable laboratory testing before strict action is taken.
The incident has also highlighted problems in the forensic infrastructure available in some states.
The High Court’s remarks have brought attention to the need for better-equipped laboratories so innocent people do not suffer because of testing delays or technical errors.
