NDPS Court Delivers Stiff Sentences in Heroin Trafficking Case
The Special Court established under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 in Ahmedabad pronounced sentences against three convicts on May 3 in a case arising from the interception of a heroin consignment by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in 2023.
Background of the Case
The case originated from a Crime Branch operation in October 2023 that resulted in the seizure of 2.8 kilograms of heroin from two of the accused. The third accused, identified as the supplier, was arrested separately from his base in Rajasthan following an investigation that traced the consignment’s origin. All three were charged under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act — provisions dealing with commercial quantity possession and criminal conspiracy in drug trafficking.
The Sentences
The Special Court, after a trial that ran for approximately 18 months, found all three accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The sentences imposed were:
- Primary accused (supplier): 15 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1.5 lakh
- Second accused (receiver): 12 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh
- Third accused (carrier): 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹75,000
The primary accused had a prior conviction under the NDPS Act from 2017, which the Court considered as an aggravating factor in determining the quantum of sentence.
Legal Significance
Under the NDPS Act, commercial quantities of heroin (above 250 grams) attract a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The Special Court’s sentences — ranging from 10 to 15 years — reflect the graduated culpability of the three accused. The sentences have been pronounced in finality, subject to the right of appeal before the Gujarat High Court.
Suketu Shah has covered NDPS proceedings at the Ahmedabad Special Court as part of his Central Agencies beat for Sandesh, tracking cases from the seizure stage through chargesheet and trial to verdict.