Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 7: A person who was charged with trying to fly to Bahrain with ganja through the international airport here has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine of one lac rupees by the chief sessions court and special court under drugs and cosmetics act here.

The person who was held guilty of the offence and handed down the sentence happens to be Abhilash (22) from Badaje in Manjeshwar, Kasargod.

Abhilash had arrived at the airport here at 6.30 am on August 20, 2017, for flying to Bahrain through an Air India Express flight. During checking by security staff of the airport and also customs officials, he was found to be carrying ganja without any permission. He was found to have concealed ganja packed in four packets meant for eatables at the rate of one kg each. The value of ganja he was carrying was estimated to be around Rs 80,000.

Assistant commissioner of customs posted at the airport, A K Chaudhary, had taken the accused into custody. He had handed him over to Bajpe police station along with ganja and other documents. The then police inspector, T D Nagaraj, who investigated the case, had filed charge sheet.

Judge of the said court, Kadlur Satyanarayana Achar, who conducted hearing in the case, concluded that the accused was guilty of the charges. In case the guilty fails to pay fine, he will have to undergo six months additional jail term as per the judgement.

The examination of witnesses had been conducted by the previous judge of the court, K S Beelagi. Public prosecutor, Pushparaj Adyantaya, had argued the case on behalf of the prosecution.