NDPS court sentences ganja peddlers to 10 years RI

CHENNAI: The special court trying cases filed under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 in the Madras High Court campus on Tuesday sentenced 3 Madurai residents, including a woman, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for the offense of smuggling ganja from the neighboring Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu.

AD Maria Clete, Principal Special Judge (EC & NDPS court) passed the order as the prosecution made a prima facie case against the accused named Bakiyam, Thiru Murugan, and Bala Murugan.

According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, the trio tried to smuggle 150 kg of ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Madurai in July 2017.

“As the NCB got a tip-off from a source that a trio is planning to smuggle ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Madurai via Maduravoyal, we made a vehicle inspection. When the NCB stopped a car and examined the same, the team found a box containing 150 kgs of ganja. Therefore, NCB arrested three accused in the car,” the prosecution submitted.

As the charges were proved by the NCB, the court sentenced Bakiyam to 10 years of imprisonment with a penalty of Rs two lakh. It is also noted that the judge convicted Bala Murugan and Thiru Murugan to 10 years of a jail term by imposing a fine amount of Rs 1 lakh on each.

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