Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Aug 24: The three alleged drug peddlers caught by the city police have been remanded to 15 days judicial custody. They had earlier been handed over too police custody for three days.
The city police, who have hit the trail of drug peddlers after realizing the seriousness of its penetration among the student community, had succeeded in nabbing three more persons, allegedly involved with selling of ganja. They are, Puneet Shetty from Shaktinagar in the city, Dakappa (35) and Shivappa (30), both from Anantapur near Sagar. A zen car was also seized from them. With this, the number of cases that came to the fore during the last one week involving ganja peddling has risen to five. Out of those arrested so far relating to this racket, four are students.
A police team led by sub-inspector of Urwa police station, P Suresh, took the three into custody, and recovered 800 grams of ganja, five mobile phones, and a Maruti zen car. The car was in the possession of Puneet Shetty, it is learnt. It is said that Shetty used this car for selling of ganja, and had escaped arrest by the police narrowly some time back. His team, which functions with the code word, ‘score’, was active in selling of ganja, targeting four prestigious colleges in the city, the policemen claim.
Police sources said that they have gathered information about more people involved with this trade. They expressed confidence o arresting them within a short period.
A police officer said that under The Nartotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, a person charged with selling less than a kilogram of ganja is liable to be punished with six months imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000, whereas the period of imprisonment rises to ten years for those peddling over a kg of this substance, in addition to a fine of one lac rupees. He added that not only the peddlers, but even those who consume such substances are liable for punishment. For the persons whose involvement with crimes under the act is proved more than once, the punishment can be even death sentence or life term, he clarified.