SRINAGAR: A court here on Monday sentenced a Pulwama resident to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed Rs 1 lakh fine on him, a week after convicting him for possessing huge quantity of contraband including over a quintal of "Bangh leaves" and 1.2 kgs Charas,.    

“…convict namely, Abdul Hamid Bhat S/o Mohammad Ismail Bhat R/o Lelhar Kakapora is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of 10 years and fine of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lac only) is also imposed,” said Principal Sessions Judge  Pulwama Naseer Ahmad Dar.

“In case of default of payment of fine the convict shall further undergo simple imprisonment of three months,” the court said, as per copy of the quantum order, a copy of which lies with GNS, and ordered that Bhat shall be lodged in Special Jail (Correctional Home) Pulwama for serving the rest of the sentence.

“The period of detention already undergone by the convict during the investigation and trial of the case shall be set off.”

The court observed that a huge quantity of Narcotic drugs has been recovered from the house of convict. 

“The drug abuse and drug peddling is increasing in our society day by day. The legislature had incorporated stringent penal provisions in the NDPS Act with the object to curb this menace,” the court said.

The deterrence is sometimes need of an hour in order to send a message to likeminded people who are indulging in this menace, the court said.

“A murderer can be held guilty for murder of one or few human being but the drug abuse is  taking away precious lives of several human beings on daily basis especially youth of our society who are the most effected by this menace,” the court said, adding, “These accused persons who are indulging in the illicit trade of these drugs are actually responsible for the killing of human beings who die due to consumption of such drugs.”

 Hence, the court said, while passing the sentence upon such accused/convict found guilty under NDPS Act, no leniency should be shown, otherwise the purpose behind incorporation of stringent penal provisions in the Act would be meaningless.

According to the prosecution story, on 7 October 2018, the police station Kakapora received information from a reliable source that Bhat has concealed huge quantity of contraband substance in his residential house at Lelhara Kakapora, for illicit trade. On this, police filed FIR No. 42 of 2018 under sections 8/20 of NDPS Act. Later a police party under the supervision of DySP HQ proceeded towards Bhat's residential house and during the search they recovered nine bags of apparently Bangh leaves besides Charas powder like substance was found in one bag. The contraband substance was weighed in presence of DySP and was found 104.4 Kgs from nine bags while one bag was found containing 1.200 Kgs Charas. Bhat was subsequently arrested.

"The prosecution has been able to establish and prove its case against the accused beyond all shadow of doubt," the court had said while convicting Bhat on March 18, adding, "I accordingly hold the accused namely Abdul Hamid Bhat guilty of the offence punishable u/s 20 of the NDPS Act."  (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police attached property of a notorious drug peddler in south Kashmir's Kulgam district.  

"Continuing its action against drug peddlers, Kulgam Police attached property (02 storied residential house) belonging to a notorious drug peddler namely Khursheed Ahmad Bhat son of Mohd Ismail Bhat resident of Sopat Devsar under section 68-F of NDPS Act 1985", said a police spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS. 

"The said notorious drug peddler is involved in several NDPS cases including Case FIR No.63/2019 U/S 8/15, 20 NDPS Act, Case FIR No. 11/2021 U/S 8/20, 29 NDPS Act and 31/2021 U/S 8/20, 22 of NDPS Act of police station Devsar", reads the statement.

The property, the statement reads, was identified as illegally acquired property during the course of investigation/enquiry conducted by Police. 

"The property was prima facie acquired from illicit trafficking in Narcotic drug and Psychotropic substances by the drug peddler. The notorious drug peddler is currently under detention at Kote-Bhalwal Jammu under the PIT-NDPS Act."

"This operation reaffirms the commitment of Police to combat the drug menace. Local people of the area hailed the initiative of Police with regard to the attachment of immoveable properties which have been raised/used from illicit trafficking of narcotics by the drug peddler in the district Kulgam", reads the statement further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Police on Monday attached a house of an alleged drug peddler in Jammu and Kashmir Awantipora sub district.

Police said a double -storied, residential house valuing approximately Rs 12 lakhs belonging to a drug peddler Bakhtawar Ahmad Makroo of Gulzarpora Awantipora, who is in jail, was attached under section 68-Fof NDPS Act 1985.

“The residential house was identified as illegally acquired property during the course of investigation/enquiry conducted by Police Awantipora. The property was prima facie accrued from illicit trafficking in Narcotic drug and Psychotropic Substances by the owner,” police said.

Police said the drug peddler is involved in two FIRs registered in police station Awantipora.

The notorious drug peddler is currently detained under PIT-NDPS Act and is lodged at Central Jail Kot Balwal Jammu, they said.

Police said this operation reaffirms the commitment of Awantipora Police to combat the drug menace. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said to have arrested a notorious drug peddler in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

“Continuing its efforts to eradicate the menace of drugs from the society, Police have arrested notorious & wanted lady drug peddler in Baramulla and recovered contraband substances from her possession”, reads a statement issued to GNS.

“Police Station Boniyar received reliable information regarding presence of contraband in a residential house at Trikanjan Boniyar. Accordingly police party of Police Station Boniyar headed by SHO PS Boniyar under the supervision of SDPO Uri raided the said house. During the search, 60 grams of contraband Herion like substance was recovered from the possession of one lady, who was identified as Farhat Begum @ Fancy wife of Rayees Ahmad Khan resident of Trikanjan Boniyar”, reads the statement.

“She has been arrested and shifted to PS Boniyar where she remain in custody.”

“Accordingly, a case under relevant sections of law have been registered at police Station Boniyar & investigations have been initiated”, reads the statement.

“We urge the common masses that if you witness drug peddling or any other crime anywhere near you, feel free to contact nearest police establishment or dial 112. People are requested to cooperate with police in curbing the menace of drugs from the society. We reassure the community members that police will act tough against the criminals as per law”, the statement reads further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Police on Tuesday said that a residential house of a notorious drug peddler was attached in Wachi area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

In a handout to GNS, the police said that today residential house of one notorious drug peddler Namely Azad Ahmad Ganaie son of Mohd Yousuf Ganaie resident of Wachi has been attached Under the provisions of 68F of NDPS Act.

The statement further stated that it is pertinent to mention here that the above said drug paddler was involved in case FIR No. 34/2021 US 08/15 NDPS Act of PS Zainapora and from whose possession commercial quantity (144 kg 200 grams) of poppy straw was then recovered. 

The said person  was also booked under PIT NDPS vide Div. Com. Order no. Div com- K/341/2022 dated 30/12/2022, reads the statement. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Police attached property of a notorious drug peddler worth lacs in Pulwama.

A police spokesperson said that Police in Pulwama today attached a single-story, under-construction house valued at approximately 7.88 lacs belonging to notorious drug peddler namely Zahoor Ahmad Wani, son of Rehman Wani, located in Jandwall village of Pulwama, District Pulwama under the NDPS Act 1985.

The said house was linked to case FIR No 47/2023 under relevant sections of law of Police Station Rajpora. The investigation proved that the said immovable property was raised/ used for Illicit Trafficking by the drug peddler. (KNT)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police acting tough against drug paddlers in J&K.

A police official told news agency Kashmir Scroll said that Bandipora Police has frozen bank savings of Rs 3,97,604 & one Load carrier bearing registration No. JK15B-4455 with market value of Rs 3,18,000 belonging to a notorious drug peddler namely Irshad Ahmad Khan S/o Abdul Samad Khan R/o Asham Hajin under the NDPS Act". "All the above assets were illegally acquired through the sale of narcotic drugs", officials said.

Bandipora Police by identifying/Freezing the illegally acquired property of drug peddlers who are dealing in illegal Narco Trade in an organized manner has affected their illegal trade badly by depriving them from Proceeds of Narcotics.

The general public of the whole J&K has also appreciated the action of police against drug paddlers he added. (KS)