Ravi Krishan Kapur, J.

This appeal is directed against the judgment and order of conviction dated 08.12.2015 passed by the Special Judge (NDPS), 1st Court, Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur in Special (NDPS) Case No.08/2005 convicting the appellants under Section 20 (b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (the Act). By the impugned order the appellants were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years each and to pay fine of Rs.1 lakh each. In default, they were directed to suffer further rigorous imprisonment for 6 months each.

2. The facts of the case are as follows:

(a) On 19.12.2005, information was received at the Chopra Police Station that three youths namely (i) Pintu Mondal (ii) Md. Sintu and (iii) Sk. Safique all of village Mahadevpur, P.S.-Pandua, Dist.- Hooghly, West Bengal had boarded a bus of NBSTC bearing No. WB-63/2819 from Alipurduar to Kolkata and were carrying a huge quantity of ganja concealed in their luggage. The matter was forthwith entered in the police station General Diary and the information forwarded to SDPO, Islampur and CI Islampur for action.

(b) Upon receipt of the information, the de facto complainant being a Sub-Inspector of