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| Anantnag man gets 10-year RI, Rs 1 lakh fine in 1.5-Kg Charas case | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 30: A Special NDPS Court in Jammu today sentenced Sajjad Ahmed Bhat of Anantnag to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh after convicting him for possessing 1.500 kg of charas, categorised as commercial quantity, which was being transported from Kashmir towards Jammu.
Special Judge (NDPS Cases), Jammu, Parvaiz Iqbal, while pronouncing the sentence in FIR No. 89/2018 of Police Station Nagrota, held Bhat guilty under Sections 8 and 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The case was decided on September 30, 2026.
According to the prosecution case, on April 16, 2018, a police team deployed at TCP Nagrota on NH-44 stopped a Scorpio bearing registration number JK22-4299, which was travelling from the Kashmir side towards Jammu.
During checking, police recovered a yellow bag from beneath the driver’s seat containing three packets. The packets contained a total of 45 charas sticks/nips, which were weighed and found to be 1.500 kg. Samples were subsequently drawn and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Jammu.
The FSL expert testified that the sample sent for chemical examination tested positive for charas.
The court held that the prosecution had established Bhat’s conscious possession of the contraband. It further found that the narcotic substance was being transported from Kashmir towards Jammu when the vehicle was intercepted at Nagrota.
During arguments on sentence, Special Public Prosecutor Sunil Kumar sought severe punishment, contending that drug trafficking was seriously affecting the younger generation and that no undue leniency should be shown.
Defence counsel Anwar Saleem, however, sought the minimum sentence, submitting that Bhat was a first-time offender, had no previous criminal antecedents, was not a kingpin or financier of drug trafficking and had already spent a substantial period in custody.
The court noted that while the offence was serious and involved commercial quantity, there was no material showing Bhat’s previous involvement or conviction in any criminal or NDPS case. It also took into account his age, family circumstances and the fact that he had spent more than five years in custody.
Balancing the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the court sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. In default of payment of the fine, he will undergo a further six months’ rigorous imprisonment. He will also be entitled to set-off for the period already spent in custody under Section 428 CrPC.
The court further directed that the seized contraband be destroyed after expiry of the stipulated period, subject to any appeal. The Scorpio used in the incident was ordered to be released to its registered owner after the court found that the vehicle had been used without the owner’s consent or connivance. (JNF) |
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