Two women drug dealers sentenced to 14 yrs RI
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 05 2022:
Special Judge, ND&PS Bishnupur today sentenced two women convicts to undergo 14 years rigorous imprisonment who were arrested along with around 13 kilograms of Opium (Kani) on July 6, 2017 from Nachou Lamkhai
The Court also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh each.
The same Court on April 28 had convicted Mrs Kimkim Haokip (50 years), w/o Heliry Haokip and Mrs Hevah Vaiphei (49 years), w/o Henthang Vaiphei, both from Pangmol village, Kangpokpi district for unauthorized possession of 13 Kgs of Opium.
They were brought to the Court from the Manipur Central Jail, Imphal for sentence hearing today.
During the sentence hearing, the Special PP submit- ted that since the two convicts have been found to have committed offences punishable under section 18(b) (read with section 29) of the NDPS Act, 1985 and since 13 Kgs of Opium is a huge quantity and since the drugs cause nationwide impact affecting human lives, they may be given RI of 20 years with fine of Rs two lakh each so that any citizen of India may not commit such heinous offences in future.
On the other hand, the defence counsel of the convicts prayed the Court for awarding minimum sentence since they committed the offence for the first time in their lives.
The defence counsel further submitted that Kimkim Haokip is a widow having six children and also the sole bread winner of her family apart from being a BP and diabetic patient.
It was further submitted that Hevah Vaiphei is also a vegetable seller and agricultural labourer who has five children and she is also a heart patient.
The Court, after hearing both the parties and considering the facts and circum- stances, sentenced Kimkim Haokip and Hevah Vaiphei to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 14 years and pay a fine of Rs one lakh each The Court made it clear that both the convicts should pay the fine of Rs one lakh each within a period of 5 years from today, failing which both the convicts shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 6 additional months.
The period of their detention undergone prior to this sentence shall be set off the period of imprisonment, the order mentioned.
The Court also directed the Special PP to destroy a bit less than the 13 Kgs of opium seized from the convicts after the expiry of appeal period as per law as provided under the NDPS Act, 1985 .