Shimla court pronounces four years prison for possession of narcotics

On July 15, 2024, the Special Court (Forest) of Devendra Kumar Sharma in Shimla sentenced a accused Rahul Chauhan to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for possession of narcotics. In case of non-payment of the fine, Chauhan will serve an additional six months of simple imprisonment.

The case dates back to November 29, 2019, when a police patrol was conducting routine traffic checks along National Highway 5, near Taradevi Najd Tutu bifurcation. At around 9:30 PM, a Volvo government bus traveling from Chandigarh to Shimla was stopped for inspection. Rahul Chauhan, then 23 years old, was found seated on seat number 17 with a white plastic bag in his lap. Chauhan, a resident of Hatkoti village in Jubbal district, Shimla, failed to provide a satisfactory reason for his travels.

Upon searching Chauhan’s plastic bag, the police discovered 10 grams of Chitta (heroin) concealed in a polythene envelope. He was immediately taken into custody, and a case (number 272/19) was registered against him at Boilueganj Police Station on November 30, 2019. The charges were filed under Section 21 of the NDPS Act.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by District Attorney (Forest) Kapil Mohan Gautam, presented testimonies from nine witnesses. The overwhelming evidence against Chauhan led to his conviction.