Srinagar court acquits three accused in NDPS case

Srinagar, Sept 20: Srinagar Court has acquitted three accused persons in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, citing serious lapses in the prosecution’s evidence and procedures.
After hearing prosecution and defence counsel Advocate Marouf Khan, the Court of First Additional Sessions Judge, presided by Khursheed-ul-Islam, said that prosecution failed to establish a crucial link regarding the handling and sealing of the seized contraband.
“The prosecution has not been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” the Court said, emphasizing the court’s duty to uphold standards of proof, especially in cases carrying potential sentences of up to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment.
While referring to various provisions of law and Supreme Court judgments, the Court observed that no forensic science laboratory (FSL) form was prepared at the time of seizure, which is mandatory under the NDPS Act. This oversight raised doubts about the integrity of the evidence presented.
Earlier, Advocate Khan pleaded that the alleged recovery of narcotics occurred on February 28, 2022, but the samples were only sent to the FSL nine days later.
“The prosecution could not justify this delay, nor did they provide the Malkhana Register to demonstrate that the seized items were stored properly at the police station,” he submitted.
The court extended the benefit of doubt to the accused—Muneer Ahmad Dar, Suhail Yousuf Sheikh, and Mohammad Ashraf Hajam—acquitting them of all charges.
According to the charge-sheet, the case stemmed from a Naka (checkpoint) search conducted on February 28, 2022, by personnel of Police Station Budgam.
As per prosecution, Police had intercepted a vehicle at Hyderpora, and during the search, 21 bottles of Welcyrix were recovered from the three accused—Muneer Ahmad Dar, Suheel Yousuf Sheikh, and Mohammad Ashraf Hajam.
The prosecution claimed that the accused were engaged in illegal narcotics trafficking with the intention to sell the drugs at exorbitant prices, thereby targeting the youth and contributing to the growing drug menace in the region.(KNS)
Cybercrime emerging as major threat: MoS Nityanand Rai
Hyderabad, Sept 20: Noting that cybercrime has emerged as a major threat, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Friday urged IPS officer trainees to lead the endeavour to address the digital challenges with technical expertise.
In this context, cyber forensic lab and other initiatives have been taken by the Centre, he said.
Rai was speaking at the Dikshant Parade of the 76th batch of Regular Recruits of IPS at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) on Hyderabad outskirts.
He quoted Union Home Minister Amit Shah as saying that technology would have an important role in managing internal security in the future.
That’s why, police technology mission has been set up, he said.
Noting that terrorism and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) have been controlled to a great extent, the Minister said young officers face the challenge of rooting out the remaining portion of terror and make sure that the twin scourges do not raise their ugly heads again.
On harnessing technology and training received by the officer trainees, he said the investigation of any case should not draw any particular boundary.
He opined that the country’s internal security and law and order can be strengthened if investigators trace the origin of a crime and try to tackle a criminal’s potential to harm peace in the country instead of taking them to the court of law.
Referring to the BNS and other new laws, he said they are more citizen-centric.
In his address, Rai urged the officer trainees to embrace the new laws with naturalness and with commitment to justice.
As the officer trainees play their role as guardians of law with the completion of their training, they should retain the qualities of honesty, courage and kindness, he added,
The Parade marked the culmination of basic course training for 207 officer trainees, including 188 IPS officers and 19 foreign officers from countries like Nepal, Bhutan and others, with a notable 58 lady officers among them. PTI