E-Paper
Court convicts woman in 2017 NDPS Case; acquits five co-accused
During trial, Switi denied the allegations and claimed false implication, stating that she had come to Mohali for her father’s medical treatment and that no recovery was made from her. She also alleged that the case was lodged out of enmity linked to her support for a co-accused in the Moga sex scandal case.
Mohali: A Special Court convicted a woman in a 2017 narcotics case involving the recovery of 270 grams of heroin and sentenced her to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment, holding that the prosecution proved conscious possession and lawful recovery beyond reasonable doubt. The case originated from a Special Task Force (STF) operation conducted on December 6, 2017. Police recovered 270 grams of heroin from Switi. During further investigation, officials also recovered 20 grams of heroin from a car on her disclosure and 117 grams of opium along with ₹3.5 lakh from her bank locker.
In its judgment, the court held that mandatory provisions of the NDPS Act were complied with and that the prosecution established the chain of custody and recovery through documentary and oral evidence.
During trial, Switi denied the allegations and claimed false implication, stating that she had come to Mohali for her father’s medical treatment and that no recovery was made from her. She also alleged that the case was lodged out of enmity linked to her support for a co-accused in the Moga sex scandal case. The court, however, found no material to connect those allegations with the present recovery.
The court convicted Switi under Sections 21-C, 21-B and 18-C of the NDPS Act and awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine. All sentences will run concurrently.
The court acquitted Simran, Baldev Singh, Ramesh Kumar and Manoj Kumar, holding that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them beyond reasonable doubt. Gurpreet Singh had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender, and proceedings against him will continue upon his arrest.
