CHENNAI: Three years after a 26-year-old man was caught with 290 kilograms of ganja at the Vanagram toll plaza, a trial court here convicted the accused to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine.
M Chiranjeevi, a resident of Theni, was caught by the DRI sleuths with the parcel in an SUV while transporting it from Andhra Pradesh.
According to the prosecution, Chiranjeevi, 26 then, along with one Ganesh, was caught with 138 packets of ganja in the vehicle and a case was registered under the NDPS act of 1985.
On investigation, evidence that the duo had been involved in ganja smuggling from Andhra Pradesh, for quite sometime, was submitted at the court by the prosecution.
Denying the allegations, the counsel appearing for Chiranjeevi, argued that the First Information Report was never registered, which is important to the case.
That Ganesh committed suicide inside the prison last year, was also submitted by the defence in the court.
However, judge K Ayyappan of the special court of NDPS cases, observed that the prosecution proved the case beyond doubt and ordered 10 years of RI and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.