Drugs Case: Man Gets 20 Years Rigorous Jail Term; Asked to Pay Rs.1 Cr fine

Special judge D R Deshpande, presiding over the cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, held the 46-year-old accused, Ashfaque Abdul Jabbar Shaikh from Kalyan, guilty.

The court, however, acquitted two other co-accused, Shahid Sayed from Mumbai and Bobba Venkat Reddy from Hyderabad, citing lack of evidence on their complicity in the crime.

The case dates back to August 15, 2020, when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) received specific intelligence about a large consignment of mephedrone being manufactured in Hyderabad and transported to Mumbai and Kalyan.

Acting on the tip-off, the DRI teams conducted simultaneous raids. One team intercepted two cardboard cartons at a transport office in Navi Mumbai, containing approximately 45.655 kilograms of mephedrone. A second team raided Shaikh's residence in Kalyan, where they recovered 19.553 kilograms of mephedrone and 10.018 kilograms of ketamine stored in wooden cabinets.

During the search at Shaikh's house, officials also seized manufacturing implements, including glass flasks and chemical containers, suggesting the premises were being used for processing prohibited substances.

Additionally, Indian currency amounting to Rs 44.09 lakh, along with USD 1,350 and 40 Euros, believed to be proceeds of crime, were recovered from an aluminum trunk.

While the prosecution sought the maximum penalty to create a deterrent effect, the defence pleaded for leniency, citing the accused's age and health issues.

In the strongly-worded order, the court noted, "In the circumstances, in which the accused has been found in possession of the extremely huge quantity of mephedrone as well as huge ketamine along with huge amount of cash, foreign exchange and the manufacturing implements, etc, the sentence would be just, expedient and proper in this case."

The judge further observed that there was a "reasonable belief" that the implements and chemicals found at the site "were being used for manufacturing of substances prohibited by the NDPS Act". The court gave the benefit of doubt to the other two accused and acquitted them as their role could not be established in the crime.

The court ordered that the seized Indian currency be credited to the government, while the foreign exchange be sent to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A total of 15 prosecution witnesses were examined in the case.