Handwara court sends accused to jail for 11 years under NDPS Act

Kupwara, Oct 24: The Additional Sessions Court, Handwara, on Friday sentenced an accused man to 11 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh under Section 8/21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after he was found guilty of possessing a commercial quantity of narcotics.

Public Prosecutor Tahseem Bashir Balti said the case dated back to 2019, when police recovered a substantial quantity of contraband from the accused’s vehicle during a naka checking at Watayin, Handwara. Following the recovery, a case was registered and the accused was subsequently charge-sheeted.

“After carefully examining the evidence during the trial, the court observed that the offence carried a minimum punishment of 11 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 1,00,000. Accordingly, the accused was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment and fined Rs 1 lakh,” Balti said.

He added that in default of payment of the fine, the accused will undergo an additional six months of simple imprisonment.

The court also noted that the accused had already spent five years, two months, and 22 days in custody, which will be set off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the substantive sentence awarded.

Calling the verdict a strong deterrent, the Public Prosecutor said the judgment sends a clear message that those involved in drug trafficking will face stringent punishment.

“We must, as a society, remain vigilant and protect our youth from the menace of drug addiction, which has become a grave concern. Collective efforts are essential to root out this social evil,” he added.