Mohali man caught with restricted injections gets 10-year jail

The court of additional sessions judge Neetika Verma also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict, Chanpreet Singh alias Channi

A Mohali court has sentenced a 50-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for possessing commercial quantity of restricted Buprenorphine injections.

Chanpreet was intercepted while driving a Maruti Suzuki Brezza car at police check near Khanpur Chowk on June 17, 2021. During a search of the vehicle, a polythene packet with 16 injections was recovered from the dashboard. (HT Photo)

The court of additional sessions judge Neetika Verma also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict, Chanpreet Singh alias Channi, who was found guilty under Section 22 (c)(illegal manufacture, possession of drugs) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

According to the prosecution, Chanpreet was intercepted while driving a Maruti Suzuki Brezza car at police check near Khanpur Chowk on June 17, 2021.

During a search of the vehicle, a polythene packet with 16 injections was recovered from the dashboard. The injections contained 32 ml of Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, a controlled psychotropic substance, regulated under the NDPS Act.

He failed to produce any valid permit or licence for possessing the drug, and the vehicle was also found to be stolen.

Police sealed the recovered vials, produced the property before a magistrate, and sent samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). The FSL report confirmed Buprenorphine Hydrochloride as the active ingredient.

Buprenorphine is an opioid used medically for pain management and de-addiction therapy, but its misuse as an injectable intoxicant makes it a frequently abused psychotropic drug. Possession without authorisation invites strict penal consequences under the NDPS Act, the court noted.

Following the trial proceedings, the court observed that the prosecution had proved the entire chain of custody, from recovery to forensic verification, leaving no scope for doubt in the case.

The court held that all procedural safeguards — seizure, sealing, safe custody, production before a magistrate and forensic examination — were duly established.

The court relied on Supreme Court precedents to reaffirm that police testimony cannot be discredited merely because no independent witness was present, noting that the defence had failed to create any “dent in the prosecution’s version”.

Addressing the 13-day delay in sending samples for chemical examination, the court held it to be inconsequential as the integrity of the seal and chain of custody remained intact.

Rejecting the plea for leniency, the court said drug abuse was a serious threat to society, contributing to crime and undermining social stability. It added that narcotics could also generate unaccounted money that may be used for unlawful activities. The court said the offender must realise the gravity of the crime and that punishment should be proportionate.