Mumbai, 17 March: Four years after he was imprisoned on the suspicion of drug smuggling, Lalrinpuia - a table tennis star from the north eastern state of Mizoram, was declared innocent by the Mumbai High Court on Monday.
The now 23-year-old Lalrinpuia had found himself in the middle of a controversy after he was arrested from the Mumbai Airport on his return from a sponsored trip from Mozambique in December 2017. The Mizo was found in possession of Methaqualone worth INR. 60 lakh.
It is reported that Lalrinpuia was invited to a sponsored trip to the African nation but was duped into returning back to the country with a bag full of drugs and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on 13th December 2017 in Mumbai. The invitation was reportedly a fraud with two Mizoram women as the main culprits.
After Lalrinpuia was arrested and imprisoned his family and friends along with the Mizoram Table Tennis Association, The Mizoram state government and others came forward to help him fight the case and take it up to the High Court.
Before his arrest Lalrinpuia was seen as one of the brightest growing stars in the Indian table tennis circuit, having won multiple junior national tournaments, whilst also bagging four international medals for India.
It is reported that Lalrinpuia was invited to a sponsored trip to the African nation but was duped into returning back to the country with a bag full of drugs and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on 13th December 2017 in Mumbai. The invitation was reportedly a fraud with two Mizoram women as the main culprits.
After Lalrinpuia was arrested and imprisoned his family and friends along with the Mizoram Table Tennis Association, The Mizoram state government and others came forward to help him fight the case and take it up to the High Court.
Before his arrest Lalrinpuia was seen as one of the brightest growing stars in the Indian table tennis circuit, having won multiple junior national tournaments, whilst also bagging four international medals for India.