Kerala High Court Grants Bail To Liviya Jose Accused Of Implicating Beautician Sheela Sunny In False NDPS Case

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed, "The petitioner is a young lady of 21 years...Considering the period of custody already undergone, I am of the view that further detention is not necessary."  

The prosecution case is that the accused/petitioner Liviya Jose, who is the sister of the daughter-in-law of Sheela, conspired with Narayana Das (1st accused) to plant certain articles having close resemblance to LSD stamps in the scooter of Sheela. Thereafter, 1st accused called the excise officer and gave false tip saying that there was contraband in Sheela's scooter, leading to the latter's arrest and incarceration for 72 days.

The Forensic Laboratory report on the contraband revealed that the contraband seized was not LSD and later, case was registered against the 1st accused for falsely implicating Sheela in the fake case. He was arrayed as Accused No. 1 in Crime No. 5/2023 of Excise Range Office, Chalakkudy, Thrissur and arrested on 29.04.2025.

In 2023, the High Court had quashed the FIR against Sheela Sunny after recording the report of the Assistant Excise Commissioner, which stated that the contraband seized from her was not LSD stamps as alleged.

Another bench of the High Court had also considered the anticipatory bail application of the petitioner and the same was later closed since she was not arrayed as an accused in the case. Later, she was arrayed as 2^nd accused and arrested and remanded on 13.06.2025.

The offences alleged against the accused are those under Sections 58(2), 28, 29 of 22(c), 29 of 60(3) of the NDPS Act and sections 120B, 195, 116 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. He was arrested on 29.04.2023 and remanded.

Last week, the Court had granted bail to Narayana Das noting that the grounds of his arrest were not informed to him. The Court left open the contention raised by the petitioner that the grounds of arrest was not communicated to her.

Case No: Bail Appl. 9866/2025

Case Title: Liviya Jose v. State of Kerala

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 516