JUDGMENT :

This criminal appeal under Section 374(2) of the Cr.P.C. is directed against the impugned judgment dated 30.05.2011 passed by the Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Hyderabad in Sessions Case No. 563 of 2010 by which the appellants, who are accused Nos. 1 to 4, have been convicted for the offence under Section 8(c) read with Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short, ‘the NDPS Act’) and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of ten years each and to pay a fine of Rs.1,00,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for a period of six months each. It is reported that during the pendency of the appeal, A.1 died and therefore, the proceedings against him stands abated.

2. The gist of the prosecution case leading to the conviction of the appellants-accused, in brief, is as follows:-

On 08.05.2009, on receipt of credible information about transportation of ganja in a Qualis vehicle by two persons from Sangareddy to Hyderabad, P.W.1, the Inspector of Police, West Zone Task Force, after appraising the said information to the superior officer orally and after obtaining permission, secured the presence of