Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS): A special court on Monday sentenced dismissed IPS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, Saji Mohan to 15 years rigorous imprisonment in a drug peddling case of 2009, officials said.

The son of a retired army officer and a veterinary doctor-turned-IPS officer of 1995 batch, he had served for a decade in strife-torn Jammu & Kashmir, was awarded a President's Medal and sent on a United Nations assignment for two years.

Besides Mohan, his Haryana Police bodyguard-cum-driver Rajeshkumar Kataria has been given a 10 year sentence, while another co-accused Vicky Oberoi has been acquitted, Special Public Prosecutor Avdhut Chimalkar told media persons.

Mohan was nabbed by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad on January 17, 2009 with several packets containing 37 kgs of narcotics, including 12 kgs heroin, valued at over Rs 1 billion in the international market.

Kataria and Oberoi had been earlier arrested from Jogeshwari west by the ATS and 1.8 kg heroin seized from them.

During their interrogation, Mohan's name cropped up and the accused also revealed how - during his earlier posting as Zonal Chief of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Chandigarh - he used to sell seized narcotic drugs to peddlers.

Following Mohan's arrest in earlier cases, he was suspended and later dismissed. Previously, he had served as Deputy Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Kochi and also with the NCB, Chandigarh.

The third accused in the case, Mumbai businessman Oberoi, was acquitted by the Special Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substance Act Court as he turned an approver and prosecution witness in the case.

Incidentally, Mohan's arrest in Mumbai helped the NCB Chandigarh crack a case of embezzlement of Rs 1.3 million of the government and another drug pilferage case in 2009 for which he was convicted to 13 years jail by a court.