2 get 10-yr jail for drug smuggling

Ludhiana: A local court sentenced two men to 10-year rigorous imprisonment each for possessing 56 kg poppy husk. The special court of judge, Ravdeep Singh Hundal, also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each convict. In default of payment of the fine, they will have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a year each. On 29 April 2016, Sahnewal police had booked Neela Ram, 34, of the area behind the civil hospital in Sahnewal and Deepak, 41 of Ropar, now at Heera Nagar in Sahnewal, under various sections of the NDPS Act, for conscious possession of poppy husk.
As per prosecution, police officials saw a tempo coming from Ludhiana side and on seeing the police party, the driver stopped the vehicle 15 yards from the check post and tried to turn back. On suspicion, the police apprehended the tempo. While Neela Ram was at the wheel, Deepak was sitting on the rear seat with two plastic bags. The police recovered poppy husk from the bags, arrested the accused and presented chargesheet against them in court.