Ludhiana: A local court has sentenced two men to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each following their conviction for the possession of hundreds of intoxicant tablets and heroin.The ruling, delivered by a Ludhiana presiding judge, targeted Varinder Singh of Halwara and Tejinder Singh of Mullanpur. In addition to the decade-long sentences, the court imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on Varinder and ₹1,000 more than ₹1 lakh on Tejinder. Failure to pay the fines will result in an additional two years of imprisonment for both men.The case dates back to September 14, 2023, when Dakha police acted on a tip-off regarding habitual drug dealers traveling in a Swift car near Baddowal. During a high-speed chase, the suspects’ vehicle — which already showed signs of a prior accident — struck a stone and came to a halt. A subsequent search revealed 555 intoxicant tablets hidden in the dashboard and three grams of heroin in Tejinder’s pocket.Throughout the trial, the defense argued for acquittal on the grounds that the police failed to include independent civilian witnesses during the recovery. However, the court dismissed this argument, citing Supreme Court precedent that the testimony of police officials is sufficient if it is deemed credible and free of malice.“The testimony of police officials cannot be discarded outright merely because they are official witnesses,” the court observed, noting that the prosecution successfully proved “conscious possession” of the narcotics without a valid permit or license.
