Chandigarh, Feb. 20 -- A local Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) special court has sentenced a man to 10 years rigorous imprisonment after he was found with 85 grams of a mixture of drugs, including heroin, in September 2023. During a routine patrol on September 22, 2023, the police laid a naka on the road between the Manimajra entrance and the Bitta Petrol Pump. Around 2 am, the accused was seen approaching the site on foot. Upon noticing the police presence, he attempted to evade the officers by changing direction. Following a brief chase, he was apprehended while attempting to discard a polythene bag containing a brown substance. The accused was identified as Devinder Singh alias Kala from Phaguwala village in Sangrur and the mixture tested positive for heroin. A case under the NDPS Act was registered. The accused was charged under Section 21 of the NDPS Act to which he claimed he was innocent and opted for trial. Later during investigation it was found that the drug was a mixture of heroin, racemethorphan and other opioid drugs. Six prosecution witnesses were examined by the prosecution, including then SHO Neeraj Sarna. The accused pleaded innocence and claimed he was framed by police and there were no independent witnesses. Judge of the special court, Hargunjit Kaur observed that the conjoint reading of provisions of Section 35 and 54 of the NDPS Act makes it clear that once the accused is found to be in possession of contraband, he is presumed to have committed the offence until the contrary is proved. She ruled that the prosecution was able to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt and convicted him. During the quantum of hearing, the accused pleaded that he is a first time convict and has aged parents who he has to look after as the sole breadwinner of the family. The prosecution submitted that a quantity of over 50 grams of racemethorphan falls under commercial category and doesn't deserve a lenient view. "The menace of drug trafficking has attained alarming proportions which has posed a great threat to the nation. In view of this, a person who has been found guilty of keeping in his conscious possession a narcotic and psychotropic substance cannot be allowed to go away lightly. Sentencing has to be such which may serve as a lesson not only for the convict but all of his ilk," observed special judge and sentenced him to 10 years RI and fined him Rs 1 lakh....