The sessions court here on Saturday awarded 10-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1 lakh to an opium smuggler Karnail Singh. Defaulting on the payment of fine would attract another term for 2 years.
A criminal investigation agency (CIA) team had arrested Karnail Singh and Gurinderpal
Sharma from near the T-point of Bhaironpur village on the Fatehgarh Sahib-Chandigarh road on August 4, 2010, during a vehicle checking drive. The police had recovered 5 kg opium from them for which they could not produce any permit.
A case under various sections of the NDPS Act was registered against the accused. During hearing of the case, Gurinderpal was acquitted due to lack of evidence, but the court convicted Karnail Singh.