Sirsa resident gets 10-year jail for possessing 800-gm heroin

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 21

Additional Sessions Judge Shiv Mohan Garg has convicted Avtar Singh, resident of CMC road bypass, Sirsa, Haryana, on the charges of possessing 800 gm of heroin.

He was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years. A fine of Rs 1,50,000 was also imposed upon him. The court made it clear that in case the accused fails to pay the fine amount, he will further undergo sentence of one more year.

Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution has successfully proved the charges levelled against the accused beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt. The court also declined the plea of leniency raised by the accused as the amount of recovered narcotics fall under commercial quantity.

Divulging details, Additional Public Prosecutor SS Haider said a case against Avtar Singh was registered on March 9, 2018 at the Division No 7 police station. The prosecution examined six witnesses to prove its case. He was apprehended by the STF (Special Task Force), Ludhiana unit, headed by Sub-Inspector Surinder Singh.

The police party had laid a naka near Sector 32-A on Chandigarh Road. Avtar Singh was coming in a car. On seeing the naka, he tried to turn his car back but due to rush he could not escape. On suspicion, he was stopped. During search, 800 gram of heroine was recovered from the car.

However, during the trial the accused pleaded innocence. The accused had pleaded that he was picked up from Panheri village at Sirsa by the STF and brought to Ludhiana for false implication in the NDPS Act case at the behest of his relative. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court observed that after the alleged incident no representation was made to the higher police authorities, no CCTV footage was produced in the court and no call record of police officials was brought on record to show their presence in Sirsa, So, the accused failed to prove his stand.