Surinder Singh, J.-Appellant has challenged his conviction passed by the learned trial Court under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, in short ‘the Act’ whereby he has been sentenced to undergo imprisonment for a period of ten years and to pay a fine of rupees one lac and in default of payment of fine to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years, allegedly for possessing 5 kilograms of charas.

2. In short, prosecution case, as emerges from the evidence on record, can be stated thus. On 9.3.2006, PW13 Inspector SHO Jatinder Kumar was heading a Police patrol party. They put a ‘naka’ at the place known as “Jukianai-nullah” in District Chamba, H.P. Around 6.30 p.m., a vehicle bearing registration No. HP01-C-1-3004 (Bolero) came from Tissa side. It was stopped. PW1 Tejinder Singh and PW2 Chaman Lal were the occupants of the said vehicle. They were alighted and Police started searching the vehicle. In the meantime, they spotted the appellant coming from a short-cut to Shakti-Dehra link road, carrying a polythene bag in his hand. On seeing the Police party, he tried to escape but was nabbed by them at a short distance. The Police associated