Tripura: Bangladeshi national convicted under NDPS Act in ganja smuggling case
In a significant development in combating ganja smuggling, a Bangladeshi national named Shah Alam was convicted and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by the Special Court in Sonamura on Saturday (May 20).
This marks the first instance of a conviction under the NDPS Act in the Sonamura division, known for its prevalence of ganja cultivation and smuggling. Even as security personnel continue to seize ganja and destroy ganja saplings in the sub-division regularly, - and also successful in nabbing culprits in some cases, Shah Alam is the only person, so far, who was convicted in a ganja smuggling case.
The arrest of Shah Alam took place on September 9 near Shalpukur BOP under the jurisdiction of Jatrapur Police Station in Sonamura. A vigilant Border Security Force (BSF) jawan apprehended him while he was attempting to smuggle dry ganja to Bangladesh. Subsequently, the local police arrested Alam and charged him under the NDPS Act as well as the Passport Act.
Shah Alam, a resident of Mathurapur in the Comilla District of Bangladesh, underwent a prolonged hearing in the Special Court in Sonamura. On Saturday, Judge Sanjoy Bhattacharjee delivered the verdict, sentencing Alam to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 20,000 under the NDPS Act. Failure to pay the penalty will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
Furthermore, Alam was given a six-month rigorous imprisonment term and a fine of Rs 5,000 under the Passport Act. Non-payment of this penalty will lead to an additional 15-day jail term.
Public Prosecutor Narayan Debnath clarified that both the verdicts, pertaining to the NDPS Act and the Passport Act, will run concurrently. This implies that Shah Alam will serve the sentences for both offences simultaneously.
The conviction of Shah Alam sends a strong message about the enforcement of anti-drug laws in the Sonamura region.
It serves as a deterrent to those engaged in illegal drug activities and highlights the joint efforts of the BSF and local police in combating drug smuggling. Local people hailed the verdict saying that such a judicial action is the need of the hour in combating the transnational ganja menace in the sub-division.
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