Srinagar- A court in Handwara on Friday sentenced a person to 11 years in jail in connection with the recovery of 750 grams of heroin from him in the north Kashmir's Kupwara district nearly six years ago.

Additional Session Judge Handwara, Mansoor Ahmad Lone had on Thursday convicted the person, Mushtaq Ahmed Pir, under Section 8/21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

According to the prosecution, on 12 July 2019 a police team during a Nakkah near Watayen General Road stopped a Santro Car (JK01V-1178), moving from Sopore towards Kupwara side. Upon checking of the vehicle, the police recovered some Contraband like substance from the engine (Air Filter) under the bonnet of the vehicle. the contraband turned to be heroin on forensic examination.

“...the accused is hereby sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 11 (Eleven) years and to pay a fine of 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only,” the court said as per the judgment, adding,“In default of payment of fine, the accused shall further undergo simple imprisonment for a period of Six (6) months.”

Pir has already undergone custody for about 5 years 2 months and 22 days and the court ordered that the time period shall be set off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the substantive sentence of imprisonment awarded by it.(GNS)

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