Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has acquitted Manirut Jaman alias Moni, previously convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The acquittal, pronounced by Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita, cited “irreconcilable contradictions in the prosecution’s evidence” and notable lapses in following mandatory procedural requirements.
Last year, a lower court convicted Manirut and sentenced him to a decade of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. He had been arrested in 2021 after an FIR alleged he stored substantial quantities of narcotic drugs in his home, where the police recovered 13 bottles of Eskuf Codeine Phosphate Syrup. The high court noted inconsistencies in the testimonies of the seizure witnesses, creating reasonable doubt about the seizure’s legitimacy.
Justice Kalita emphasized that the penal provisions under the NDPS Act necessitate strict adherence to procedural requirements, and any procedural lapses can compromise the prosecution’s case, thus benefiting the accused. Consequently, the court set aside the trial court’s judgment and ordered Manirut’s release if he is not implicated in any other case.
In other related news, the prosecution in the Jhanvi Kukreja murder case demanded a return to the original trial court, condemning the current shift as illegal. Meanwhile, a Dutch court convicted two Pakistanis of inciting followers to kill far-right leader Geert Wilders. Additionally, four men implicated in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots were acquitted due to insufficient evidence, with witnesses retracting claims.
The Gauhati High Court’s decision underscores the importance of stringent adherence to legal procedures, especially in cases under the NDPS Act with severe penal implications, highlighting the legal system’s commitment to ensuring fair trials.
Original Story https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/hc-frees-man-convicted-under-ndps-act/articleshow/113273586.cms
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