Hemant Gupta, J. - This order shall dispose of four Criminal Appeals bearing Nos. 165-DB of 2002 (Dharminder Kumar v. The State of Punjab), 168-DB of 2002 (Jasbir Singh v. The State of Punjab), 176-DB of 2002 (Sokhi v. The State of Punjab) and 198-DB of 2002 (Malkiat Ram v. The State of Punjab) respectively as they arise out of the same judgment of Judicial Special Court, Nawanshahar dated 15.2.2002 whereby all the appellants were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 15 years and a fine of Rs. one lakh each and in default to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for one year each.

2. Briefly, the prosecution case is that on 1.9.1999 at about 1.45 p.m. ASI Bhag Mal was present in connection with nakabandi at canal bridge of Swajpur towards south, when he received a secret information, to the effect that Daula son of Mehanga and Sokhi son of Lehmber in possession of huge quantity of poppy husks in a D.C.M. Toyata bearing No. PB-10-D-9972 and coming from village Karimpur towards canal bridge. He requested SHO and DSP Nawanshahr through wireless to reach at spot and Constable Surender Singh was sent to call public witness and also to arrange for a scale. The said vehi