SRINAGAR, NOV 21: A court here on Tuesday rejected the bail application by two persons arrested by police earlier this month with a heroin-like substance near Narbal on the outskirts of Srinagar.
“No doubt that this court has jurisdiction with regard to grant of bail for a small quantity of Contraband (heroin) for personal consumption, which provides for a lesser punishment. However, in recent years, our Union Territory has been facing problems of trafficking in illicit drugs which have caused a lot of problems of addiction particularly among youth,” Ms Fozia Paul, City Magistrate Srinagar said and rejected the bail application filed by the two persons—Mohammad Rafiq Malik (25) of Sumbal Bandipora at present Khawaja Bagh Srinagar and Mohammad Iqbal Khanday (26) of Maloora HMT Srinagar.
The court said that in the instant FIR, the accused persons have been booked under section 8/21 of the NDPS Act as well as under section 29 of the NDPS Act. “Perusal of the police report reveals that contraband (heroin) like substance weighing 04 grams was seized from the accused persons,” the court said, adding, “The accused have been allegedly involved under sections 8/21 & 29 of NDPS Act. The punishment for the same (Section 29 NDPS) is rigorous imprisonment of 10 years which may extend to 20 years and a fine of one lakh rupees which may extend to two lakh rupees.” According to police, the duo was arrested during a naka checking at Dumail Narbal Crossing and one polythene bag containing a contraband-like substance (heroin) was found recovered from the vehicle they were travelling on November 14. Subsequently, a case for the commission of an offence under section 8/21, 29 NDPS Act was registered against them.
