PANAJI
An alleged drug peddler, arrested just three months after walking out of jail for his previous offense, will be facing trial before the North District and Session Court, for both the offenses. Pravin Pandit, hailing from Bihar and employed in the Pilerne Industrial Estate was caught red-handed carrying the contraband and some cash in a school bag when the Mapusa Police searched him in April 2018.
After serving jail till the first week of June, he was bailed out but re-arrested for another drug-related offense in September 2018. This time Anjuna police nabbed him from the tourist locations when he was waiting for his client with the consignment, sealed in a polythene bag. The collective seizures through both raids weighed around 6 kgs of ganja, which amounted to Rs 9 lakh approx.
He was charge-sheeted for the offenses recently, which was submitted before the District Court. During the hearing on the framing of the charge, the Judge acknowledged that in both cases, forensic experts ascertained the seized contraband is ganja. Therefore, the Court has ordered, the accused will face trial for the offense punishable under section 20 (b) (ii) (B) of the NDPS Act.
“The report of experts show positive for ganja and hence, there is prima facie material to frame the charge under section 20 (b) (ii) (B) of the NDPS Act,” reads an extract of the Court findings. The accused, currently in judicial custody, had been working as a mason in the industrial estate.
