OUSEPH ALIAS THANKACHAN Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) The appellant has been convicted by a Sessions Court for the offence under Section 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act for short). He was sentenced to RI for ten years and to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh (in default of payment of fine, he was directed to undergo simple imprisonment for a further period of two years).

(3.) He filed an appeal challenging the said order of conviction and sentence but the same was dismissed by the High Court of Kerala. He filed special leave petition through jail. We appointed Mr Jayant Bhushan, Advocate, as amicus curiae to argue for him. We heard him and also the learned counsel for the State of Kerala.