Mumbai: 29-year-old sentenced to 10-year jail for illegal sale of cough syrup | Mumbai News
Mumbai: A special NDPS court sentenced a 29-year-old man to ten years rigorous imprisonment for the possession and intended sale of a commercial quantity of codeine-based cough syrup. Bablu Gupta was arrested on the night of Dec 31, 2021, when a team from the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) was on patrolling duty. Cops spotted Gupta standing near the BMC Udanchand Kendra on Sant Savta Marg, holding a blue-and-yellow striped nylon bag and appearing to be waiting for someone. When the police team surrounded him, Gupta attempted to flee with the bag but was quickly apprehended. A search of the bag, conducted in the presence of independent panch witnesses, led to the recovery of 136 bottles of “Morcerex” syrup. Each 100 ml bottle contained 10 mg of Codeine Phosphate, a narcotic substance falling under the NDPS Act.The prosecution established an unbroken chain of custody for the seized evidence. Samples were forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Kalina, where chemical analysis confirmed the presence of codeine. While Gupta’s alleged accomplice, Asha Lingam, was discharged earlier in the proceedings, the court found the evidence against Gupta to be “cogent and reliable”. Before the final sentencing, Gupta, a father of two, pleaded for leniency, stating he was the sole breadwinner for his family. “The accused is neither habitual offender nor harden criminal. In such circumstances, the minimum sentence will suffice the purpose... Imposing minimum sentence serves as a deterrent and upholds the legislative intent to curb the drug abuse,” the judge said. Gupta has also been fined Rs 1 lakh.
