Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: Additional Session’s Judge Jammu, Tahir Khurshid Raina today awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment to two persons under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Accused Sanjeev Kumar of Pathankote and Dilawar Hassan of Rehari Jammu were nabbed by Nakka Party at Greater Kailash Chowk while they were carrying hundreds of bottles of Corex in their vehicles —a truck and a car on 14.6.2017.
After investigation by the then SHO Gangyal Anayat Ali under the Supervision of SDPO Gandhi Nagar Rafiq Manhas, both the accused were charge sheeted for the commission of offences under NDPS Act.
The court also framed charges against the accused under Sections 8/21/22 NDPS Act and directed the prosecution to lead evidence. All the cited witnesses got examined before the court and it got substantially proved that from the physical and conscious possession of the accused around 390 bottles of Corex were recovered.
The punishment prescribed for commission of such offences is 10 years minimum imprisonment which may extend up to 20 years with a fine which is Rs 1 lakh minimum and may extend to Rs 2 lakh. However, after taking into consideration the mitigating circumstances of the convicts the court awarded minimum sentence prescribed in the Act—10 years rigorous imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine. In case a fine amount is not paid by the convict, they will further undergo imprisonment for six months.
While awarding sentence, court observed, “the menace of drug trafficking has assumed an alarming proportion in the society and sometimes it looks that law has not proved enough to contain this crime and criminals”, adding “we should not forget that in the murder case, the accused commits the murder of one or two persons but those who are involved in drugs menace are causing the deaths of a number of persons in the society and ruining the vitals of the society and the nation”.
“What is expected from the criminal court is to award appropriate sentences to the accused in the backdrop of facts and circumstances of the case, crime and the convict and its overall impact on society”, the Judge said while announcing the sentence.
Follow our WhatsApp channel