CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — A special NDPS court here has sentenced a 31-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for possession of 540 grams of heroin, holding that drug trafficking poses a “serious threat to society.”
The verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Hargurjit Kaur, presiding over the special NDPS court, who also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict, Amit Kumar alias Dairy, a resident of Sector 52, Chandigarh.
In default of payment of the fine, Kumar will have to undergo an additional eight months of rigorous imprisonment, the court ruled. The case was registered on May 12, 2022, under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after the accused was found in possession of a commercial quantity of heroin.
During the trial, defence counsel Yadvinder Singh Sandhu urged leniency, arguing that the convict is married, has a two-year-old son, and is the sole breadwinner of his family. “He deserves mercy from the court considering his family responsibilities,” Sandhu submitted.
However, Additional Public Prosecutor Ashok Rohilla countered that plea, asserting that drug crimes cannot be treated lightly. “Recovery of 540 grams of heroin from the accused poses a grave threat to the future of our youth. Such offences must not be met with leniency,” Rohilla argued.
In her order, Judge Kaur said drug trafficking is a menace that harms not only individuals but the fabric of society. “Only strict punishment can have a deterrent effect in such cases. The sentence should serve as a lesson not only to the convict but to others like him,” the court observed.
The trial concluded on October 15, and the sentence was pronounced on October 17, 2025. The court directed that the period already spent in custody by the convict be set off against the total sentence. It also ordered that the case property be destroyed as per law and instructed jail authorities to be informed upon payment of the fine.
