GOPAL MANDAL Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD . The Appellant has been convicted under Section 22 of the N.D.P.S. Act, 1985 and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for ten years and a fine of Rs. 1,00,000/ - in case of default a further period of one year rigorous imprisonment by a Judgment dated 29.4.1985 in Special Case No. 16 of 1993 passed by Sessions Judge, Patna.

(2.) THE prosecution case is that on 24.7.93, the Informant searched the person of the Appellant on a tip off and from right side pocket of his Pant four small packets and from left side pocket, three packets allegedly Heroin was recovered from his person. The samples from the packets were sent to the FSL and after report received, it was opined to be brown sugar. During trial the prosecution examined six witnesses out of whom PW -1 is the seizure witnesses. PW -3 is tendered.

(3.) PW -5 and PW -6 are the Investigating Officer and PW -2 is a Hawaldar on the factum of occurrence. On going through the evidence of PW -5 who is the Informant of the present case, I find that he stated that out of seven packets recovered from the possession of the Appellant, only three packets of samples were prepared which were sent to forensic for test. Under the circumstances, the weight of the recovered articles cannot be conclusively determined. In view of such serious irregularity in preparing sample of the seized article I am not inclined to accept the prosecution case. It also appears that Appellant has remained in custody for about five years.