HimVani
Mandi: The Fast Track Court Mandi today convicted three Nepalis for possessing 32 Kg of charas (commercial quantity of Charas as per Act) and sentenced each of them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for ten years and to pay a fine of Rs1 lakh. In default of payment of fine the convicts have to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months. The presiding officer of Fast Track Court J.N Yadav held in its 20 pages order that the convicts were from poor background and sole bread earners of their respective families so the lenient view was taken while awarding the sentence.
The police party from State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau Mandi nabbed the convicts Bal Bhadur, Deep Bhadur and Asha Devi at Panarsa Bridge around 9.30 PM and recovered two bags from them, which were containing 32 Kgs ( 24 kg from bag carried by Bal Bhadur , 8 Kg from the carry bag jointly carried by Deep Bhadur and Asha Devi). The three accused were coming from Kullu Distt and tried to turn back after seeing the police. The prosecution examined 14 witnesses to prove the case. As per the defence, neither the prosecution complied with the mandatory provision of act nor it has examined any independent witness in the case and further, it could not prove the case against the convicts so they deserved acquittal. The court relied upon the testimony of official witnesses while sentencing the convicts and held the convict guilty under section 20 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Act. The court today heard the convicts on quantum of sentence and sentenced them.
