O R D E R

The petitioner is the accused in Crime No.7 of 2023 of the Excise Range Office, Ernakulam for the offences punishable under Sections 22 (b), 27(a) read with Section 25 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act . The crime is registered on the allegation that, at about 6.20 p.m, on 15.02.2023, the petitioner was intercepted in front of the Palalia Restaurant at Jawaharala Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor and searching his body 3220 mg of MDMA was recovered. The petitioner alleged that the arrest did not occur in the manner claimed by the prosecution. In order to prove this fact, the petitioner intends to cause production of the video clipping from the camera fixed in the premises of Palalia restaurant. For that purpose, he submitted a petition under Section 91 Cr.P.C with a prayer to direct the Manager of Palalia restaurant to retrieve CCTV footage between 6.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on 15.02.2023. That petition having been rejected, this Crl.M.C. is filed 2. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the offence alleged against the petitioner being grave in nature, he should not be denied the opportunity to disprove the prosecution allegation. This can