In Sessions Court

Laddan Hasmulla Shaikh, Jallaluddin Muzaffar Hussain Khan, Hassan Khan alias Hashu Maharaj, Guddu Bashir Ahmed, Shahid Hussain Jahid Hussain Choudhury and Mahataz Hussain were arrested by the Narcotics Cell of the Crime branch on September 10, 1996. Another accused, Pappu, is absconding.

Police Inspector Vilas Sanghai received a tip-off that the accused, allegedly charas dealers, had purchased 50 kgs of the narcotic from Shafi Khan and Sharmaji and were to deliver the consignment to Guddu, an employee of one Hashu Maharaj. The transactions were scheduled to take place in front of Hotel Greenfield opposite Sales Tax office, Mazagaon on September 9 between 10.00 pm and 10.30 pm. A trap was laid and the accused were arrested. The contraband was found in a Mahindra jeep which allegedly belonged to theaccused. However, counsel for the accused said the Narcotics Cell officers had failed to produce a warrant to search the jeep.

The accused were also allegedly illegally detained at the Andheri unit of the cell and a false case was registered against them. And while the police maintained that the accused were kept in the lock-up of Azad Maidan police station, during the recording of evidence, they failed to produce the lock-up register of Azad Maidan station. Also, there were contradictions in the amount of charas found: as per the evidence recorded, there were 112 slabs of charas in three polythene bags. However, counsel for the accused submitted that there was no mention at these bags either in the panchnama or in the First Information Report. When these bags were produced at the time of the evidence, they were stitched with thread. However, the gazetted officer who was present during the seizure maintained that the bags were tied by hand with the help of a knot.

Advocates Ayaz Khan, Sharif, HE Momin,Kadu and AR Gandre appeared for the accused while Special Public Prosecutor AH Modi appeared on behalf of the state.

8230;while 2 are convicted

Two drug peddlers were sentenced to ten years rigorous imprisonment on Friday by Additional Sessions Judge KU Chandiwal for possessing hashish. Samad Khan and Sonu Sharma were convicted and fined Rs one lakh, while a third accused, Santosh Pandurang Naik, was acquitted of all charges. On August 31, 1996, the Narcotics Cell received information that contraband was stored at a shop Xerox Corner8217; on Samuel Street, Masjid Bunder. A trap was laid and 160 kgs of hashish, a star-made pistol and ammunition were seized. Naik, who was present in the shop at that time, was arrested. During interrogations, he said the shop belonged to Khan, and that he only had a photocopying machine in a corner. He also said Sharma was Khan8217;s friend, and the two would meet on Sundays at a Sewri railway crossing. The next day, the police laid a trap at Sewri and nabbed the duo. Elevenkilograms of hashish were found on them. The witnesses were examined by Special Public Prosecutor Subhash M Gadkar while advocates Amrolia appeared for Naik, GC Lala for Khan, Anirudh Sathe and Ayaz Khan for Sharma.