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| ‘Time’ for grass |
Feb. 22: A trial court today sentenced a drug peddler to rigorous imprisonment for three years.
The court of additional district and sessions judge (Kamrup) no. 2, Hema Devi Bhuyan, today convicted the accused, Babu Das, under Section 20 (b) (ii) (B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
“Das is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and pay a fine of Rs 30,000. In case of default in fine payment, he will have to undergo simple imprisonment for another six months,” the judge said in her order.
A team of CID officers led by sub-inspector Aroti Saikia arrested Das, who is in his mid-twenties, from a house at Shiv Nagar in Noonmati on February 17, 2012, and recovered 8kg ganja.
“In this instant, the prosecution has been able to prove conclusively the guilt of the accused person involved with the alleged offence beyond all reasonable doubt. Thus, it is seen the prosecution has been able to bring home the charge under Section 20 (b) (ii) (B) of NDPS Act against the accused,” the order said.
The judge, in her order, also opined that those involved in drug trafficking should be adequately punished so the society can be saved from the menace.
The judiciary is trying to expedite the trial of NDPS cases and as a part of this process, Gauhati High Court recently directed its outlying benches and subordinate courts not to grant adjournments in trials of such cases on the request of a party except where the circumstances are beyond the control of the party.
The high court had issued the directives to ensure compliance of directions of the Supreme Court passed in a judgment dated January 23, 2013, in criminal appeal number 1640 of 2010 — Thana Singh versus the Central Bureau of Narcotics.
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