10-year-jail for duo caught with over 42k drug tablets

Ludhiana: A local court has sentenced two drug peddlers to ten years of rigorous imprisonment each after they were found in possession of a massive haul of intoxicant tablets. Special court judge Dr Gurpreet Kaur also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each convict; failure to pay will result in an additional year of rigorous imprisonment.The case dates back to September 9, 2022, when Tibba police booked Toshif Alam, a Bihar native residing on Tibba Road, and Kuldeep Singh of Gopal Nagar under the NDPS Act. According to the prosecution, ASI Ranjit Singh and a police team were conducting a check near the Ganda Nala bridge in Geeta Nagar when they spotted Alam on a motorcycle with a heavy plastic bag. Upon seeing the police, Alam attempted a U-turn, but his motorcycle slipped, scattering the bag's contents.Alam tried to flee but was apprehended. Although the police requested four to five passersby to join as independent witnesses, all declined. Subsequent searches led to the recovery of 37,600 tablets from the bag. During interrogation, Alam named Kuldeep Singh as his supplier. Consequently, police nominated Singh and another individual, Prince, in the case. On September 11, 2022, police arrested Kuldeep Singh via production warrants from Central Jail, Ludhiana. A search of his residence yielded an additional 5,000 tablets found in two bags in his bedroom. While a chargesheet was filed against the duo, Prince remains at large. During the trial, the accused claimed they were falsely implicated and that the recovery was planted. Court dismises ‘fake evidence' claimsHowever, the court dismissed these claims, noting that the prosecution successfully proved Toshif Alam was in "conscious possession" of 37,600 tablets and Kuldeep Singh held 5,000 tablets without permits. The judge remarked it was improbable that officials would plant such commercial quantities without evidence of prior enmity. Regarding the lack of independent witnesses, the court noted that citizens often hesitate to join legal proceedings for fear of harassment, affirming that official testimony remains credible even without private corroboration.