Man gets 12-yr jail for possessing 271-kg poppy husk

Ludhiana: Additional Sessions Judge Lukhvinder Kaur Duggal convicted Jaswinder Singh, resident of Thakur Colony, Daad village, Ludhiana, for indulging in selling of narcotics. As much as 271 kg of poppy husk was recovered from his house. He was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for 12 years. A fine of Rs 1 lakh was also imposed upon him. Divulging details, Additional Public Prosecutor Sukhdev Singh said a case was registered against Jaswinder Singh at the Sadar police station on August 8, 2017, under the NDPS Act. The prosecution examined 10 witnesses to prove their case. ASI Balkar Singh had got information that Jaswinder Singh was indulging in the sale poppy husk. A raid was conducted on the house of Jaswinder Singh. On search, one .32-bore pistol, two magazines, 67 live cartridges, 14 empty shells and eight bags of poppy husk were recovered from a box bed lying in the bedroom of Jaswinder Singh. However, Jaswinder Singh pleaded that his brother Talwinder Singh had filed a writ petition before the High Court of Punjab and Haryana against SSP Harcharan Singh Brar, Ludhiana, and one Santokh Singh. Contempt proceedings were also initiated by High Court against the Punjab DGP and DIG concerned. A day prior to the registration of the present FIR, his brother was also booked in a narcotics case at Moga. He also pleaded that the recovery was planted upon him. On the day of alleged recovery he was not present at his house. Rather he had crossed Anandpur Sahib toll plaza in a car to pay his obeisance there. After appreciating the evidence on record, the court held that the plea has not been proved on record, nor any witness has been examined by the accused in his defence. He also not examined his brother. However, he was acquitted under the Arms Act as prosecution failed to prove the charges. OC