A day before the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge Nalin Kumar in Garhwa on Wednesday sentenced four individuals to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in two separate cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Each convict was also fined ?1 lakh, with an additional one-year imprisonment if the fine is not paid.
In the first case, the court found Jitendra Kumar of Nagwa locality guilty under the NDPS Act. He was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs. 1 lakh. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional one year of simple imprisonment.
The case dates back to October 24, 2024. Based on a tip-off, police apprehended Jitendra Kumar while he was selling heroin from a four-wheeler in Nagwa locality. Authorities seized 1.65 grams of heroin and ?20,1780 in cash from him. A case was filed under the NDPS Act, and after a thorough investigation, a chargesheet was submitted in court. Upon examination of witness testimonies and arguments from both sides, the court pronounced him guilty.
The second case occurred on May 25, 2024, when Garhwa police set up a checkpoint near Mahupi Mod on the Garhwa-Rehla road following a confidential tip-off. When police attempted to stop a car, three individuals attempted to flee but were caught. A search revealed 121.44 grams of heroin wrapped in plastic from their pockets, and the car was seized.
Following the trial, the court found Avinash Chandrawanshi, Shatrughan Chauhan, and Pintu Kumar guilty. All three were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ?1 lakh each. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional one year of imprisonment.