Reported by Mrinal Kani Banik
Agartala: A Special NDPS Court in Tripura’s Sepahijala district has sentenced three men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for trafficking a substantial quantity of Yaba tablets, marking a significant conviction in a narcotics case.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday by Special Judge Sanjay Bhattacharjee, who found the accused guilty under multiple provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after examining the evidence presented during the trial.
The convicted individuals have been identified as Manik Mia (39), Madhai Shil (31) and Prashanta Roy (28), all residents of Rangamura village under Belonia subdivision in South Tripura district.
According to Public Prosecutor Gautam Giri, the case originated on October 10, 2024, when Jatrapur Police received specific intelligence inputs regarding the transportation of narcotic substances in a vehicle travelling from Sonamura towards Belonia via Kathalia.
Acting on the information, a police team headed by then Officer-in-Charge of Jatrapur Police Station, Subrata Debnath, along with personnel of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), set up a naka checkpoint near the police station. During the operation, officers intercepted a Hyundai Grand i10 and conducted a thorough search of the vehicle.
The search resulted in the seizure of 9,500 Yaba tablets that had been concealed inside a yellow bag placed beneath the front seat. Following the recovery, the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested on the spot.
A criminal case was subsequently registered under the NDPS Act, and the investigation was assigned to Inspector Arup Debbarma. After completing the inquiry, the investigating officer submitted the chargesheet before the court on December 30, 2024.
During the proceedings, the prosecution examined 19 witnesses and submitted documentary as well as material evidence. Based on the evidence on record, the court convicted all three accused.
The court awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs1 lakh each under Section 22(C) of the NDPS Act. Additionally, they were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs1 lakh each under Section 25 of the Act. Both sentences will run concurrently, while failure to pay the fines will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
