Chandigarh: Man gets 10-year jail for possessing drugs

A special court in Chandigarh sentenced a 29-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh for possessing a commercial quantity of charas. The case dates back to May 2021, when a police team patrolling near Piccadilly Square Mall in Sector 34 intercepted the man after he allegedly tried to turn back and discard a backpack upon seeing law enforcement. Upon searching the bag, authorities recovered 5 kg of charas.

During the trial, the defence challenged the prosecution's case by pointing out several procedural lapses, including the absence of independent public witnesses, discrepancies in police statements, and the appearance of the FIR number on initial recovery documents, which the defence argued indicated they were prepared later at the police station. The defence also questioned the handling and transfer of the police seal and the non-examination of a constable involved in delivering the initial complaint for FIR registration.

The special court rejected the defence arguments, holding that the prosecution had successfully established the conscious possession and recovery of the contraband beyond reasonable doubt. The court noted that the chain of custody remained unbroken, as the seized material was properly sealed at the spot, deposited in the malkhana, produced before a magistrate, and confirmed to be cannabis by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory. Consequently, the court convicted the man under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and ordered an additional year of simple imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

Not yet reported: The articles do not mention whether the accused plans to appeal the conviction in a higher court.