May 10th 2024.
In a recent sentencing, the Second Additional District Judge, also known as the Special Judge, in Bhubaneswar has declared the punishment of three individuals to be 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each under the NDPS Act, 1985. The convicts, who go by the names of Debasish Behera, Prabir Kumar Singh, and Sk Kausar Alli, have also been directed to serve an additional year of imprisonment if they are unable to pay the fine amount. This ruling was announced by the judge on Thursday.
The prosecution revealed that the three accused were caught red-handed transporting contraband brown sugar in a Bolero vehicle on June 19, 2020. They had procured the illegal substance from West Bengal and were intercepted near Rasulgarh in Bhubaneswar. Upon inspection, a large amount of contraband brown sugar weighing 4 Kg 458 gram and other incriminating materials were seized from their possession.
After a thorough investigation, the accused were charged under Section 21/29 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The trial was conducted against them, where the prosecution presented 13 witnesses and submitted 79 documents as evidence. The seized brown sugar has already been destroyed as per the court's orders.
It is worth noting that the Special Task Force (STF) is a specialized unit of the Odisha Police that focuses on curbing organized crime in the state. Their main area of focus is narcotic drugs, and they have made it clear that they will continue to take strict action against drug peddlers. This particular case marks the first time in Odisha where individuals have been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act, 1985, according to STF sources.
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