4 acquitted in 4-yr-old NDPS, Arms Act case

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 16

A special court here has acquitted four persons who were arrested by the Amritsar Rural Police four years ago with 1-kg heroin and Rs 23 lakh of drug money.

In the judgment pronounced on March 11, the court pointed out that the prosecution failed to bring on record sufficient, cogent and convincing evidence to prove the guilt of the accused — Simranjit Singh, alias Simar, of Sahowal village (Ajnala), Sarabjit Singh of Fattewal village (Ajnala), Surijit Masih of Gurala village (Ajnala) and Ranjit Singh of Modhe village (Attari). Therefore extending the benefit of doubt, they were acquitted of charges framed against them.

While giving details, Namit Singh Mehta, learned counsel for Simaranjit Singh, said Simranjit, Sarabjit Singh and Surjit Masih were arrested by the Ajnala police on August 19, 2019. He said the police had claimed to have confiscated 298-gm, 405-gm and 302 gm of the contraband, respectively, from them. It also seized alleged drug money of Rs 23 lakh from their car, a licensed pistol with live bullets and ammunition of different calibre at that time. During interrogation, the police had later arrested Ranjit Singh.

Mehta said during the trial, it was found that the Indian currency seized was not a drug money in fact it was earnest money of the land belonged to Simaranjit Singh. The police had registered a case under sections the NDPS Act, Arms Act and other relevant sections of the IPC against the four.

He said the accused, Simranjit and Sarabjit, had argued that they were picked from their respective houses and a case of the NDPS Act was planted against them. The suspects produced witnesses, including the sarpanch and member panchayats, to substantiate their claims. After hearing the arguments during the trial, the court pointed out that it was necessary for the prosecution to rebut the evidence of witnesses, but it had failed to do so which puts shadow of doubt over the story of the prosecution.

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