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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Procedural lapses in drug case, court acquits man
Mumbai: Observing that in cricket, the benefit of doubt goes in favour of the batsman, likewise, every benefit of doubt in criminal cases goes in favour of the accused. In yet another case of procedural lapses, a special NDPS court on Thursday acquitted a 39-year-old man, 16 years after he had been accused of possessing and intending to sell 25 kg of a party drug, methamphetamine, worth Rs 3 crore at Goregaon (E). The accused, Veer Bahadur Singh, absconded after his bail was cancelled by the Supreme Court. He was finally rearrested in 2023. "Due to the mixing of the contents of seven packets and again nine packets each before drawing any representative sample from each polythene bag, not only was the sanctity of the case property in the individual packet lost, but also the evidence as to how much each individual container weighed is also lost. Therefore, flouting of the above guidelines has caused prejudice to the accused as the punishment provided for the offence alleged is based on the quantity of the contraband recovered," the judge said. The judge stated that when the recovery of the contraband from the conscious possession of the accused after following all the procedural safeguards is not proved, there is no cogent, clinching, and reliable evidence about the fact that the accused conspired to procure, transport, or possess the contraband or abetted the commission of the offence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Advanced Strategic Management IIMK ASMP Apply Now Undo On Jun 8, 2009, at 5.45 pm, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) received a tip that a car was to transfer about 25 kg of methamphetamine to a taxi later in the evening. An NCB team began surveillance at the spot, and at 8.50 pm, a taxi arrived, followed by the car. Three individuals, later identified as three accused, exited the car, carrying a carton and a maroon trolley bag. They transferred these items to the taxi's trunk after the taxi driver, Singh, opened it. NCB officers surrounded the taxi and caught the four. On inspection, the maroon bag contained seven packets, and the carton contained 18 packets of a white crystalline substance. Field tests confirmed the substance was methamphetamine. Each of the 25 packets weighed 1 kg. The contents were combined into three main bags, weighing 7 kg, 9 kg, and 9 kg from which 5-gram samples were taken for further analysis. It was alleged that one of the accused provided information about another who allegedly arranged the transfer and another who manufactured the drug in Patiala. A total of seven accused were arrested in the case. In two other trials conducted earlier, the other accused were acquitted.
The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
End of 3-month anti-drug push, Punjab DGP says battle won but war continues; Oppn calls it ‘ceasefire'
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the police had been 'largely victorious' in restricting the spread of drugs in Punjab but the war on drugs will continue. The police will press on with measures it took over the past three months, he said, adding that it will also now focus on making jails drug-free, start e-tagging of repeat offenders and set up anti-drone systems to curtail entry of drugs via the International Border. Chandigarh: With the three-month deadline announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to make Punjab a 'drug free state' ending Saturday, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav declared that the 'battle against drugs had been won, but the war continues'. 'It's a ceasefire, not a victory,' Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said in a press statement issued here. 'Had it been a victory the announcement would have come from the chief minister,' he added. Other opposition leaders mocked the government's claim that Punjab is now a 'drug-free state,' sharing what they alleged were recently shot videos of youngsters taking drugs in the open. Mann had on 1 March announced a special campaign 'Yudh Nashea Virudh' with an aim to make Punjab a drug free state in three months. In a meeting of police commissioners, deputy commissioners, and senior superintendents of police that day, a three-month strategy was laid out. A five-member cabinet sub-committee was also constituted under the leadership of Aman Arora, president of Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), to monitor efforts of various arms of the State towards the objective. Giving a detailed report card of the campaign Saturday, DGP Yadav said state police registered as many as 8,344 FIRs and arrested 14,734 drug smugglers during this period. He added that 586 kg heroin, 247 kg opium, 14 tonnes of poppy husk, 9 kg charas, 253 kg ganja, 2.5 kg ICE, 1.6 kg cocaine, 25.70 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets and Rs 10.76 crore in drug money was recovered during this period. 'During the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, illegally acquired properties of 144 drug smugglers worth Rs 74.27 crore have been frozen, while 104 illegally constructed properties of drug smugglers were demolished by the local authorities,' said Yadav. He also said that in the next phase of the campaign, Rs 500 crore have been set aside to modernize jails. 'Also we are going to set up drug de-addiction centres in all the jails.' He added that the state police plan to e-tag repeat offenders in NDPS cases and also put in place a system to get their bails reviewed. Punjab police, he said, offered to start a program 'each one adopt one' encouraging volunteers in the police to take responsibility for at least one drug addict each in their vicinity. 'It is a completely voluntary exercise which can also be undertaken by people other than the police. In fact we want a larger role to be played by civil society to help us curb this menace.' He emphasised a three pronged strategy: enforcement, de-addiction and prevention. 'Consumers of drugs are being treated like victims. More than 13,000 addicts have been transferred to drug de-addiction centres by the police in the past three months,' said Yadav. Also Read: Punjab's booming de-addiction industry has spawned far greater threats—illegal centres, monopolies War on drugs won or ceasefire? Challenging the claim that the objectives of the first phase of the anti-drug campaign have been met, state Congress chief Warring wrote to CM Mann on X: 'Please tell us, whether the 'War' has really been won? Or, there is a CEASEFIRE?' CEASEFIRE!!!!! 'Yudh Nashya Virudh'? Respected @BhagwantMann Sahab, Sat Sri Akaal. Today is May 31, 2025, the DEADLINE you set for Defeating Drugs in Punjab. Will you please tell us about the status of the 'War on Drugs'? Please tell us, whether the 'War' has really been won?… — Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) May 31, 2025 Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira issued a video message saying the government failed to eradicate drugs from the state despite making tall promises. He said the police were using the war on drugs to treat people in an inhuman manner that even led to the death of one person. LIVE-today is 31st May deadline to make Punjab a drug free state by Cm @BhagwantMann & @DGPPunjabPolice ! Have they lived up to their word? Is it justified to kill youth in the name of War Against Drugs? #PoliceState — Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) May 31, 2025 Khaira also claimed a resident of Jaito in Faridkot district died of drug overdose Saturday. While @BhagwantMann and @DGPPunjabPolice were claiming to make Punjab drugs free by 31st May Manpreet of V. Rorikapura (Jaito) has died today due to drug overdose ! Will they apologise for making false claims?-Khaira @INCIndia @INCPunjab — Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) May 31, 2025 Mohit Mohindra, state youth Congress president reminded Mann of his promise. 'Well, today is 31st May — and the reality on the ground tells a very different, heartbreaking story,' he wrote on X. Remember your promise, @BhagwantMann ji? You said Punjab would be '#NashaMukt' by 31st May. Well, today is 31st May — and the reality on the ground tells a very different, heartbreaking story. Our youth are still suffering. Our streets still witness the pain. False promises. No… — Mohit Mohindra (@mohit_mohindra) May 31, 2025 Replying to Warring's comment, AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said in a video message that there was no ceasefire at all as far as the war on drugs is concerned. He instead accused Warring of promoting cultivation of opium in the state. 'How can one drug be used to replace another? In Punjab we have a zero tolerance policy for every possible drug.' He asked why Warring never questioned former chief minister Amarinder Singh, who was then in the Congress, when he took a vow on the Gutka Sahib to end drug abuse in the state in a month. – @RajaWaring ji, Congress' track record on tackling drugs in Punjab is questionable. 🚫 CM @BhagwantMann's @AAPPunjab govt is working tirelessly to make Punjab drug-free. Let's support the efforts instead of spreading negativity! 🙌 #PunjabAgainstDrugs #AAP — Neel Garg (@GargNeel) May 31, 2025 (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: Punjab's war on drugs is an asymmetric fight. Poor infra, not enough doctors or data
India Gazette
a day ago
- India Gazette
Udhampur Police arrest 62 accused under NDPS Act; narcotics valued at 2.07 cr seized
Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 31 (ANI): The Udhampur district police have taken stringent action against those involved in narcotics from January to May this year. A total of 44 cases have been registered and 62 accused were arrested under the NDPS and PIT NDPS/PSA Acts, according to an official statement. Sixteen vehicles used in drug trafficking were also seized, along with the closure of four pharmacy shops for violations related to H1 drugs. In a significant crackdown on financial assets, 35 bank accounts of drug peddlers amounting to Rs 16,70,703 were frozen. A total of Rs 2.07 crore worth of contraband was seized during this period. Moreover, properties valued at Rs 4.19 crore were attached, including residential buildings, vehicles, and commercial properties linked to NDPS and bovine smuggling cases. Moreover, the police also successfully secured convictions against 27 drug peddlers in 20 cases from the courts, which marks a professional approach towards case investigation and prosecution. Udhampur Police are in hot pursuit to eradicate the drug menace and ensure a drug-free society. Earlier this week, Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a drone and three packets of heroin during separate search operations along the Punjab border in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Amritsar districts. Acting on intelligence, BSF and Punjab Police seized the drone and three packets of suspected heroin from farming fields near the border villages. A joint search operation by the Border Security Force and Punjab Police led to the recovery of one packet of suspected heroin, weighing 550.18 grams, from a farming field near Mehdipur village in Punjab's Tarn Taran district. 'Yesterday evening, a search operation by BSF in collaboration with Punjab Police in the suspected area culminated in the recovery of one Packet of suspected heroin (gross weight: 550.18 grams) from a farming field adjacent to village Mehdipur of district Tarn Taran,' the BSF said in an official statement. (ANI)
United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
J&K Police seize drugs worth Rs 2 cr, arrest 62 smugglers in 5 months in Udhampur
Jammu, May 31 (UNI) Tightening the noose around narcotic smugglers and peddlers, the J&K police seized the contraband worth Rs 2 crore and arrested 62 people in five months in Udhampur district. An official spokesperson said on Saturday that the Udhampur district police registered 44 cases against 62 accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) and Public Safety Acts while 16 vehicles used in drug trafficking were seized along with the closure of four pharmacy shops for violations related to schedule H1 drugs. In a significant crackdown on financial assets, the spokesperson said 35 bank accounts of drug peddlers amounting to ₹16,70,703 were frozen. A total of ₹ 2.07 crore worth of contraband was seized in the past five months and properties valued at ₹4.19 crore were attached in NDPS-related and cattle smuggling cases. The spokesman said the police also successfully secured convictions against 27 drug peddlers in 20 cases from courts. UNI VBH PRS
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Nigerian National Acquitted in Cocaine Case Due to Procedural Lapses, Sentenced for Illegal Entry
Mumbai: Observing that the benefit of doubt is given to the accused since the police machinery has not followed the proper procedure and mandates, a special NDPS court this week acquitted a 34-year-old Nigerian national in a drugs case where he was accused of possessing 151 grams of cocaine, categorized as commercial quantity, at Malad (W) in 2021. The court, however, sentenced him to five year rigorous imprisonment after entered India without a valid visa or passport. He possessed two passports: one was expired, and the other was forged. Finding Godwin Chukwu guilty of offences under the Foreigners Act, special judge KG Joshi said that the reply from Nigerian High Commission showed that the visas were not issued by their office. "The offences punishable under the provisions of Foreigners Act are stringent in providing punishment so as to curb the menace of the illegal entry in residence in India, so a to prevent the harm causing to the society. The record of the proceedings shows that he has contributed in the protracting and prolonging of hearing of the trial along with the prosecution and investigating machinery in securing presence of prosecution witnesses. Therefore, he may not be benefited by his own contribution in the trial," the judge said. Chukwe was also fined Rs 50,000. It was the prosecution's case that Chukwe was arrested on Oct 8, 2021. The police kept a watch on him after receiving secret information that he would be arriving at the location to sell cocaine. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo In a 76 page judgement copy, pointing to the procedural lapses, the judge said that the evidence on record shows that no authorization was taken from the superior authority to conduct a house search of the accused. "Admittedly, non compliance of mandate of provisions of NDPS Act, vitiate the trial," the judge said. The judge further said that the evidence on record shows that except stock panch witness, no independent witnesses were examined. "Admittedly, there is no explanation from prosecution. The samples and bulk was not produced before the Magistrate for inventory…The evidence of IO shows that PI Bainwad was Gazetted officer in the raiding team. When the accused was apprehended, PI Bainwad had introduced himself. This casual approach of investigating team creates doubt about their activity of seizure and search. Except oral testimony there is no document showing that PW-6 (prosecution witness, investigating officer) had made call to official superior and received orders. Therefore, it cannot be said that it is reliable and trustworthy," the judge said. The judge said that in the absence of trustworthy, reliable and clinching evidence, it cannot be said that the prosecution has proved the charge against the accused
