The special NDPS court at Nalagarh convicted a woman in an about eight-year-old Baddi charas-smuggling case and sentenced her to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.[1] The court also fined her Rs 30,000.[1] The court ordered six months of additional imprisonment if the fine is not paid.[1] Deputy District Attorney Nalagarh Sandeep Sharma said the judgment was given by Additional District and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for the NDPS Act Pankaj Gupta in the State versus Swapan Mandal case.[1] The convicted woman, Swapan Mandal, is a resident of the Chauri-Chaura area of Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh.[1]
On 12 August 2018, the Baddi police SIU team under Inspector Lakhbir Singh was on patrol.[1] At about 8:10 pm the team was stationed on the road from Baddi bus stand toward CHC Baddi.[1] A woman approaching from the bus-stand side carrying a black bag panicked on seeing the police team and tried to turn back and flee.[1] On suspicion, police detained her in the presence of two local witnesses and searched her bag.[1]
The search recovered 13 zip pouches from a blue polythene envelope kept in the bag.[1] Examination found the pouches contained charas, a cannabis resin, weighing 500 grams in total.[1] Baddi police station then registered a case under Sections 20, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.[1] After investigation and trial, the court convicted her under Section 20 of the NDPS Act on the basis of witness statements and solid evidence.[1]