‘Drug abuse has far-reaching consequences’: Surat court orders 15 years of imprisonment to duo held with MD

The convicts – Sunil Kaushik (42), a resident of Bhiwani in Haryana, and Fotik Ali (35) from New Delhi – were present at the court through live video conference from Surat central jail.

Judge Joshi convicted both the accused and sentenced them to imprisonment of 15 years with fine of Rs 1.50 lakh each.

The order stated, “The consequences of illicit drug use are widespread, causing permanent physical and emotional damages to the users and negatively impacting their families, co-workers and many others with whom they have contact. Drug use negatively impacts a user’s health, often leading to sickness and disease. Drug abuse has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the individual and can significantly impact the society as a whole and (have an effect) on the young generation of India.”

Talking to The Indian Express, Special Public Prosecutor Imran Malek said, “We are very much satisfied with the order. Both the accused were found in possession of the MD and the quantity was huge. Duo was on its way to deliver the consignment to a party in Mumbai. Day by day, the younger generations are getting addicted to MD and it damages their mental, social and family life. This judgment will put fear in those who are into such illegal activities of selling banned drugs to earn more money.”

Defence lawyer Faraz Khan said, “We will go through the order and will later decide our future course of action.”

Sources said that despite being in jail, Kaushik continued to run his drug business through his phone. He was arrested by Surat police in 2023 over seizure of 10 kilogram of MD from a village in Rajasthan. Surat crime branch arrested his father Gajanand Sharma and eight others in this racket. It was alleged that while remaining in jail, Kaushik was directing his father to peddle the drugs in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

THE CASE

As per the case details, the DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) officials of Surat unit received information that two persons were travelling with 10 kilograms of MD in Rajdhani Express from New Delhi to Mumbai on October 25, 2019.

As the train reached Surat Railway station, the DRI officials entered the coach and arrested them. The duo was taken to the DRI office where the stuff they were nabbed with was found to be weighing 7.694 kilograms. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) checked the suspected drug and stated it to be MD.

DRI officials registered an offence under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, sections 8(c) (possession of banned drugs), 9(vi) (Power of Central Government to permit, control and regulate), 28 (Punishment for attempts to commit offences) read with 22(c) (Contravention involves commercial quantity), and 29 (Punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy). They were sent to judicial custody at Surat central jail a day after their arrest.