CHANDIGARH, May 17 — A special court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Friday sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a drug peddling case registered in 2019.
The accused, Harinder, also known by the alias Machi, was held guilty and ordered to pay a fine of ₹1 lakh after the court concluded that he was in illegal possession of a large quantity of banned pharmaceutical substances.
According to the prosecution, Harinder was apprehended in August 2019 from the Hallomajra locality, where he was found carrying 1,500 prohibited capsules. At the time of his arrest, he failed to produce any valid documentation or invoices related to the substances in his possession.
“We had concrete evidence, including the seizure and witness testimonies,” said a police official involved in the case. “He was in possession of drugs clearly intended for illegal distribution.”
The court relied on the recovery of the banned medicines, as well as the failure of the accused to justify their possession, in reaching its verdict. The capsules were classified under restricted substances regulated under the NDPS Act.
“This sentence sends a strong message that those dealing in illicit substances will be held accountable,” said the prosecution, welcoming the judgment.
The case had been pending for nearly six years, with multiple hearings before the court pronounced its final order.
