Hyderabad: Four men and a woman were sentenced to 10 years in prison in the 101 kg ganja case in Khammam. The Khammam in-charge Additional District Court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each accused.
Judge P.P. Krishnarjuna announced the verdict on Wednesday after hearing the prosecution and defence arguments. The court found the four accused guilty of illegally transporting cannabis.
The accused were identified as Rajesh Kirar, Rajkumar Rajput, Hari Om and Poonamdevi. Rajesh Kirar, Rajkumar Rajput and Hari Om belonged to Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh, while Poonamdevi was from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
The case began on September 6, 2022, when railway police conducted checks at Khammam railway station. The checks followed directions from senior officials, according to the prosecution account.
Meanwhile, police noticed the four accused moving suspiciously near Platform No. 2. Officers detained them and searched six bags that they were carrying at the station.
Police found 38 packets of ganja inside the bags during the search. The seized cannabis weighed 101 kg in total, according to the case record.
101 kg ganja case involved 38 seized packets
The prosecution told the court that the accused had allegedly planned to buy ganja at a lower price. They intended to sell it later at a higher price and make money through the illegal trade.
Following the seizure, railway police conducted the proceedings in the presence of witnesses. Officers prepared a panchanama and registered the case on the same day.
Police also arrested the accused after registering the case. Subsequently, investigators completed the probe and filed a chargesheet before the special court.
During the trial, the court examined witnesses presented in the case. It also heard the arguments advanced by the prosecution and the defence before delivering its judgment.
As a result, the court held the four accused responsible for illegally transporting the seized ganja. Each received a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Additional Public Prosecutor Jammula Sharat Kumar Reddy represented the prosecution. Liaison officer SI Srikanth and investigating officer Circle Inspector Venkateswara Rao assisted the prosecution during the case proceedings.
Current IRP M. Srinivas and SHO CH Venkateswara Rao also supported the proceedings. Court constables Rahim Basha and Gandhi, along with court home guard officer Ayub, provided assistance.