Two sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in 2017 Barabanki drug trafficking case
Lucknow: Two drug traffickers have been convicted and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a 2017 narcotics case involving the seizure of 340 grams of heroin and 160 grams of ganja in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki, officials said on Wednesday.
“In a significant success in the fight against drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Lucknow, has secured the conviction of two accused in a 2017 Barabanki case involving the seizure of 340 grams of heroin and 160 grams of ganja,” the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Announcing the conviction, the NCB said its Lucknow unit had secured the verdict in the case after a prolonged legal process. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Barabanki, delivered the sentence on October 19, holding both accused guilty of their involvement in illicit drug trafficking.
The convicts have been identified as Shakeel, a resident of Chandwara village under the Safdarganj police station area of Barabanki, and Rampyari, who hails from Palhari village in the same police station area.
The case dates back to May 27, 2017, when the NCB’s Lucknow unit, acting on specific intelligence inputs, conducted an operation at Barabanki Railway Station and seized the heroin and ganja from a railway platform.
According to the agency, the contraband was recovered from black-coloured bags that were found in the conscious possession of Rampyari and Shakeel. The two accused were travelling aboard the Avadh Assam Express and were getting off the train at Barabanki Railway Station when the seizure was made.
“Investigation revealed that the seized contraband had been transported from Dimapur, Nagaland to Barabanki,” officials said.
During the trial, the prosecution highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the wider consequences of illegal drug trafficking. The NCB said it stressed the grave nature of narcotics-related crimes, their harmful impact on society and the need for strict punishment to deter those involved in the illicit trade.
During the course of arguments, the agency sought stringent punishment for the accused, emphasising the importance of taking firm action against individuals involved in transporting and distributing illegal narcotic substances.
“After examining the evidence on record and the circumstances of the case, the court convicted both accused and sentenced them to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The Court found the accused persons guilty of their involvement in illicit drug trafficking,” an official said.
“The conviction reaffirms the NCB’s commitment to adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards drug trafficking and its continued resolve to realise the vision of a Drug-Free India,” the agency said.
The NCB also appealed to members of the public to report information related to drug trafficking through the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline at 1933.
The agency reiterated that the identities of informers would be kept strictly confidential.