four exonerated in a four-year-old NDPS, Arms Act case
Four people who were detained by the Amritsar Rural Police four years ago with one kilogram of heroin and Rs 23 lakh in drug money were found not guilty by a special court in this city.
The prosecution failed to present sufficient, compelling, 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), the court noted in its judgment on March 11. They were thus given the benefit of the doubt and cleared of all allegations brought against them.
Simaranjit Singh’s knowledgeable attorney, Namit Singh Mehta, said that on August 19, 2019, the Ajnala police detained Surjit Masih, Sarabjit Singh, and Simranjit. He added that they had been told by the police that they had seized 298 grams, 405 grams, and 302 grams of contraband from them. Along with a licensed handgun loaded with live rounds and ammo of a different caliber at the time, it also confiscated suspected narcotics money worth Rs 23 lakh from their vehicle. Later on, while questioning, Ranjit Singh was taken into custody by the police.
Mehta said that during the trial, it was discovered that the Indian cash that had been taken into custody was really earnest money from Simaranjit Singh’s property, not drug money. In accordance with the NDPS Act, the Arms Act, and other pertinent IPC provisions, the police had filed a case against the four.
According to him, Simranjit and Sarabjit, the accused, had claimed that they were chosen from their homes and that evidence of their involvement with the NDPS Act had been placed against them. To support their allegations, the suspects called witnesses, such as the sarpanch and member panchayats. The prosecution was required to refute the testimony of witnesses, but the court noted after hearing the arguments made throughout the trial that it had not done so, casting doubt on the prosecution’s version of events.
