Ludhiana: A local court has sentenced two drug peddlers to ten years rigorous imprisonment each after they were found in conscious possession of 2,000 intoxicant tablets. The Judge Special court Jagdeep Sood also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on two convicts and in default of payment of fine, they will have to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months each.On 23 July 2022, Division Number three police had booked Gurmeet Singh Kaka, aged 34 years, of Ahata Mohd. Tayar in Ludhiana and Arun Kumar, 23, of Baba Than Singh Chowk under the NDPS Act after intoxicant tablets were recovered from them. As per the prosecution, ASI Jatinder Singh along with a police party on patrolling duty was present in front of Police Post Dharampura. He received secret information that accused Gurmeet Singh and Arun Kumar, habitual in dealing contraband, are coming from the side of street Number Six Kheta Wali, Harcharan Nagar, Ludhiana side on their Activa to supply contraband to their customers. In case a check post is set up, then the accused persons can be apprehended along with the Activa and contraband. Later ASI Jatinder Kumar apprised investigating officer SI Dharampal of all facts and thereafter left the place. Investigation was taken over by sub-inspector Dharampal. Two persons on an Activa scooter, coming from the side of Harcharan Nagar were apprehended. The driver of the Activa was identified as Gurmeet Singh and Arun Kumar was the pillion rider. The SI told both accused separately that he had suspicion that the accused had some intoxicant contraband in their possession and in their Activa bearing and a search is to be conducted. The investigation officer tried to join an independent witness, but nobody agreed citing personal reasons. On search of the Activa, one black colour polythene containing two transparent polythene bags, each containing 1,000 intoxicant tablets, were recovered from the dickey. Both accused failed to produce any licence or permit for possessing the intoxicant tablets. Each polythene contained 1,000 intoxicant tablets. Thus in total 2,000 intoxicant tablets were recovered. Police later arrested both the accused and after completing the investigation into the matter presented a chargesheet against the accused in the court. During the trial of the case, the accused pleaded false implication. ‘Drug Menace A Proxy War’Even as the convicts requested the court to take a lenient view, the court in the order on the quantum of sentence remarked that “This region is reeling under the menace of drug. Proliferation of drugs has ruined many families. It is a proxy war lodged by inimical forces against our nation”. “Drug menace on an alarming rise is directly affecting the youth and ruining the entire social fabric of society”.The court after appreciating evidence on record observed that the prosecution has proved the charge for an offence under section 22 of the NDPS Act against accused Gurmeet Singh and Arun Kumar for being in conscious joint possession of 2000 intoxicant tablets weighing 244 grams containing salt Alprazolam falling in the commercial category beyond any reasonable doubt.
