2 get 13-yr jail for drug peddling

In a major verdict under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Special Judge-I Prakash Chand Rana in Kullu has convicted two men for their role in a drug trafficking case. Kullu District Attorney Kulbhushan Gautam confirmed the details of the judgment.

The convicts—Kuldeep Singh, son of Dharam Singh from Janger village in Hamirpur, and Keval Raj, son of Chaman Prakash from Laherela village in Mandi—were found guilty under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act, covering possession, trafficking and conspiracy.

Both were sentenced to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 1.3 lakh under each of the three sections. The sentences will run concurrently, keeping the total imprisonment at 13 years. In default of payment, they face an additional two years’ simple imprisonment. The court also ordered the confiscation of the Alto car (HP-01H-2014) used in the crime.

The case originated on September 25, 2020, when ASI Pushp Dev and his team from Jari Police Post intercepted the accused near Sharni. A search of their vehicle yielded 3.51 kg of charas. An FIR was registered at Sadar Kullu Police Station.

Investigations linked the supply to Sobha Ram, alias Raj Bahadur, from Manikaran, Kullu, who remains absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender. Another accused, Amish Kumar alias Jolly from Hamirpur, was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The prosecution presented 16 witnesses, securing conviction in what officials describe as a strong message against the drug trade. The verdict highlights the judiciary’s zero-tolerance approach to narcotics, reinforcing Himachal Pradesh’s commitment to dismantling trafficking networks and punishing offenders with strict penalties.