Crl.A. No. 926 of 2004 1

 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.  926  OF 2004

 PRAGAT SINGH   ..... APPELLANT

VERSUS

STATE OF PUNJAB   ..... RESPONDENT

O R D E R

1. By  this  appeal  at  the  instance  of  the  accused-

appellant  a  challenge  has  been  made  to  the  concurrent  

findings  recorded  against  the  appellant  by  the  trial  

Magistrate,  the  Sessions  Judge  in  appeal  and  the  High  

Court in revision whereby his conviction under Section 9  

of the Opium Act, 1878 and a sentence of two years along  

with fine has been maintained. We find that the maximum  

sentence imposable under Section 9 of the Act ibidem is  

three years.  Undoubtedly, a large quantity of opium i.e.  

about 9½ kgs. had been seized from the appellant but the  

implication of a conviction under the Opium Act is far  

removed  from  the  seriousness  of  the  offence  under  the  

Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act.  In the light  

of the fact that the incident happened in the year 1979

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when the appellant was about thirty years of age which  

would  make  him  almost  65  years  as  of  now  and  he  has  

already undergone about one year of the sentence and the  

agony of legal proceedings for three decades, we deem it  

appropriate  to  reduce  his  sentence  to  that  already  

undergone by him.

2. With this modification in the sentence, the appeal  

is dismissed.  

   ......................J  [HARJIT SINGH BEDI]

......................J    [R.M. LODHA]

NEW DELHI APRIL 06, 2010.

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