Agartala, July 7: A court in Tripura's North District has sentenced a truck driver from Jammu and Kashmir to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment after convicting him in a narcotics trafficking case involving the seizure of 260 kilograms of cannabis (ganja) from a truck intercepted at the Churaibari check post in 2022.

The Court of the Additional Sessions Judge at Dharmanagar convicted Manjoor Ahamed Chachi, a resident of Katyanwali in Baramulla district, under Sections 20(B)(II)(C) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Besides the 12-year jail term, the court imposed a fine of ₹1.5 lakh. In default of payment, the convict will undergo an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.
The case pertains to Special (NDPS) Case No. 30 of 2022, arising out of Churaibari Police Station Case No. 02 of 2022.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on February 1, 2022, when police were conducting a special vehicle checking drive at the Churaibari interstate check post in North Tripura. During the operation, officers intercepted a truck driven by Chachi and recovered 260 kilograms of dry ganja allegedly concealed inside the vehicle.
The accused was arrested on the spot, following which a case was registered under the NDPS Act.
The investigation was conducted by then Sub-Inspector Ajit Kanti Chakma, who later filed the charge sheet on July 31, 2022, after completing the probe.
During the trial, the prosecution produced documentary and material evidence related to the seizure, investigation and recovery of the contraband. After examining the evidence and hearing both sides, the court held the accused guilty of transporting a commercial quantity of cannabis and criminal conspiracy under the NDPS Act.
The judgment brings to a close a four-year-old narcotics case and is being viewed as a significant outcome in Tripura's ongoing efforts to curb interstate drug trafficking through its road network.