Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (IANS) A court in Bhubaneswar on Thursday sentenced a 39-year-old drug peddler to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in the possession and illegal trade of contraband drugs.

The convict identified as Chittaranjan Sahoo alias Madhu is a resident of Dinabandhpur under Kalanga under Sadar Police Station area of Dhenkanal district.

On May 20, 2023, while the accused Sahoo was dealing with contraband brown sugar/heroin in his rented house at Unit-VIII, Bhubaneswar, a team of Special Task Force of Odisha Crime Branch carried out a raid and arrested him.

“Interestingly, the accused Sahoo, who had a vehicle workshop, was residing at the government quarter allotted to a police constable in Bhubaneswar since 2021. The STF team during the search of his rental house found out and later seized a huge quantity of contraband brown sugar weighing 1,100 gram worth over Rs 1 crore and other incriminating materials,” said Special Public Prosecutor, R.R. Brahma.

After successful investigation, The STF submitted a charge sheet against the accused person under sections 21(C) and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.

The prosecution during trial has examined 14 witnesses and exhibited 28 relevant documents.

“Addl. Sessions Judge, Bhubaneswar Bandana Kar, convicted Sahoo and awarded 20 of rigorous imprisonment for both the offences U/s 21(C) and 29 of NDPS Act, 1985 and asked him to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for each. If the convict fails to pay the fine amount, he has to serve additional RI for 1 year,” added Brahma.

Meanwhile, STF sources claimed that this is the fourth drug case in Odisha in which the accused has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act, 1985, the maximum punishment prescribed under the Act. It also added that the seized contraband Brown Sugar has already been destroyed as per order of the Court.

–IANS

gyan/pgh