A man convicted of narcotics offences was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) and fined ₹50,000 by a local court in Chamba, police said on Saturday.
The convict, identified as Balwant Singh, will also have to serve three months of simple imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine, they said.
He was arrested for possessing cannabis in October 2020, after which a case under Section 20 of the NDPS Act, 1985, was registered against him at Kihar police station.
A spokesperson of the state police here said it recently secured the conviction of the accused.
“The conviction is the result of a thorough investigation by Chamba police, meticulous collection of evidence and effective prosecution before the trial court, which found that the prosecution case proved beyond reasonable doubt. This conviction sends a strong message that drug traffickers and those involved in the narcotics trade will not escape the long arm of the law,” he said.
“It also reflects the sustained efforts of Himachal Pradesh Police in translating enforcement into successful convictions as part of the state-wide Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan spearheaded by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. While stringent action is being taken against drug traffickers, the campaign also seeks to mobilise society, particularly the youth, to actively participate in building a chitta-free Himachal,” he added.
Police also appealed to the people to strengthen the anti-chitta movement by sharing information relating to drug trafficking or drug abuse through the 112 number. “The identity of informers shall be kept strictly confidential, and every credible input will be acted upon promptly,” the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}Police also appealed to the people to strengthen the anti-chitta movement by sharing information relating to drug trafficking or drug abuse through the 112 number. “The identity of informers shall be kept strictly confidential, and every credible input will be acted upon promptly,” the spokesperson said.
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