Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 31: The Principal Sessions Judge of Udhampur, Haq Nawaz Zargar, handed down a verdict today, sentencing two narco smugglers, Gowhar Ahmed Khanday and Abdul Qayoom Khanday, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Additionally, they were fined one lakh rupees each for the recovery of charas from their possession.
As per the police case, the accused individuals were arrested while transporting a significant quantity of charas in the form of balls. The weight of one bag containing 96 charas balls, including the polythene bags, was 6.565 kilograms, while the weight of the other bag containing 76 balls, including the polythene bags, was 6.040 kilograms. The charas-filled bags were concealed within layers of a quilt in the trunk of a Tata Indigo vehicle with registration number MH02AY-8677, traveling from Srinagar to Jammu. The vehicle was stopped for routine checking on January 8, 2019, at Jakheni Chowk by a police team led by SI Vishal Dogra. Gowhar Ahmed Khanday was driving the vehicle, and Abdul Qayoom Khanday was a co-driver/passenger. Upon inspection, the two bags containing charas were discovered, leading to the registration of FIR No. 12/2019 under sections 8/20/29 of the NDPS Act. The investigation was carried out by SI Vishav Pratap Singh, who collected samples and sent them for chemical analysis, confirming the presence of charas.
After hearing the arguments from Public Prosecutor Koshal Kotwal, the Principal Sessions Judge, Haq Nawaz Zargar, stated that the offense committed by the accused is heinous and affects society as a whole, especially young people and other vulnerable sections. The judge emphasized that leniency towards the guilty would amount to cruelty towards innocent individuals, including children who may be affected by this menace. Therefore, Gowhar Ahmed Khanday, son of Mohd Ramzan Khanday from Mast Pora, Tehsil Killer, District Shopian, was sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and fined one lakh rupees under sections 8/20/29 of the NDPS Act. In case of failure to pay the fine, an additional one-year imprisonment will be imposed. Similarly, Abdul Qayoom Khanday, son of Wali Mohd Khanday from Mir Mohalla, Killer, District Shopian, was also sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and fined one lakh rupees under the same sections of the NDPS Act. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional one-year imprisonment. The period of imprisonment already served during the investigation and trial will be deducted from the total sentence. |
