Nigerian gets 10-year jail in heroin smuggling case

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 19

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge KS Sullar has convicted Sunday, alias Sunny, hailing from Nigeria, at present a resident of Khalsa Restaurant Wali Gali, Phase I, Vikaspuri, New Delhi, in a heroin smuggling case. 

He was ordered to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years. A fine of Rs 1lakh was also imposed upon the convict. 

Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution had successfully proved the guilt of the accused beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt. The court also declined the plea of leniency raised by the convict. 

A case against Sunday was registered at the Dakha police station on May 17, 2017, under Section 21 of the NDPS Act. According to the prosecution the accused was already in custody in a case. During interrogation, the accused revealed that he was into the business of smuggling drugs in India. 

Some days ago he along with Austin Celestine had come from Delhi in order to sell heroin in Ludhiana. He had then sold some heroin in the Chowkiman area. Heroin weighing 1 kg was left as some of his customers had not met the accused. So, he buried 1 kg of heroin after wrapping it in polythene near adjoining wall of an abandoned brick-kiln situated on GT Road. 

Sunday, alias Sunny, was taken to the disclosed place in an official vehicle and 1 kg of heroin was recovered. However, during trial the accused pleaded innocence. 

After appreciating the evidence on record and convinced with the submission of Additional Public Prosecutor ML Bathla, the court found him guilty.