Man gets 10 years jail, Rs 1 lakh for drug peddling

Srinagar, Feb 15: A Sessions Court here sentenced a drug peddler on Thursday to 10 years in jail besides imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him under the NDPS Act.

The Court of 4th Additional Sessions Judge Srinagar Gowhar Majid Dalal sentenced Muhammad Junaid Raina of Kaloosa, Bandipora after convicting him for possessing 10 boxes of banned drug, Spasmo Proxyvon plus in 2020.

On June 23, 2020, a case (FIR 113/2020) under Section 8/21 NDSPS Act was registered at Police Station Parimpora after Police stopped a car near Parimpora Crossing adjacent to a car showroom here.

Raina, the driver of the vehicle, was arrested following the recovery of 10 boxes of Spasmo Proxyvon plus from his vehicle.

Following the investigation, a chargesheet was presented before the court of Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar on August 24, 2020, wherefrom it was transferred to the 4th Additional Sessions Judge Srinagar for trial.

After a full-fledged trial, the court came to the conclusion that the accused was culpable for the offences under Section 8/21 of the NDPS Act as he was found in possession of commercial quantity illegal drug (contraband) for which he did not give any legal justification.

While the court underscored that the prosecution succeeded in proving the case against the accused beyond any shadow of doubt, it said: “The accused failed to rebut the possession by proving his innocence as envisaged U/S 54 NDPS Act.”

Accordingly, the court convicted the accused for the commission of offence under Section 8/21 of the NDPS Act.

Three days after his conviction on February 12, the court awarded rigorous imprisonment of 10 years to Raina and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh fine on him.

If the convict failed to pay the fine amount, he would have to undergo the imprisonment of one year more.

Syed Sarir Ahmad Andrabi, Additional Public Prosecutor, and Chief Prosecuting Officer represented the government in the case.