Andhra man sentenced to 10 years in ganja case; 3 co-accused acquitted

CHENNAI: A 35-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh, who has remained in judicial custody since his arrest in January 2022 for possession of 26 kg of ganja, was, on Wednesday, sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by a special court for the NDPS Act cases.

Three of his co-accused, including two women who were subsequently arrested based on the information allegedly procured from the man, were acquitted as the court doubted the credibility of events surrounding their arrests and seizure of ganja (over 20 kg was seized from each of them).

D Mangaraj of Narsipatnam near Vishakhapatnam was arrested by the Washermenpet police after he was caught with the contraband near Mint bus stop. After perusing the submissions made from the prosecution and defence, the court held that the prosecution has proved beyond all reasonable doubts that he did, indeed, have 26 kg of ganja.

However, the court held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the other three accused beyond all reasonable doubt that they had conspired with him.

When the Judge questioned Mangaraj about the sentencing, he stated that he was under the influence of alcohol when he was arrested. And, that until he was in prison, he was unaware of the nature of the case in which he was arrested and denied committing any offence.

The court sentenced him to the minimum sentence of 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and also slapped Rs 1 lakh fine.