ORAL JUDGMENT

(Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SOURENDRA PANDEY)

Date : 16-12-2025

Heard Ms. Mira Kumari, assisted by Ms. Ankita Roy, learned counsel for the appellant and Ms. Km. Shashi Bala Verma, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

2. The present appeal arises out of the judgment of conviction dated 23.02.2023 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘impugned judgment’) and the order of sentence dated 27.02.2023 (in short referred to as the ‘impugned order’) passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge-III-cum Successor of Court of A.S.J.-IV, Kathihar in connection with N.D.P.S. Case No. 03 of 2018, arising out of Katihar Town (Sahayak) P.S. Case No. 73 of 2018.

3. By the impugned judgment, the appellants namely Sanjeev Dev Verma, Tapas Dev Verma and Sanjeet Dev Verma have been convicted for the offences under Sections 20(b)(C) read with Section 25 /29 of the N.D.P.S. Act and have been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 14 years for the offence under Section 20(b)(C) read with Section 25 /29 of the N.D.P.S. Act and also to pay a fine of Rs. 1,00,000/- each and in default of payment of fine they shall further undergo simple imprisonment for two years.

Prosecution Cas