Examiner Bureau | Jammu:
An 18-year-old narcotics case has finally reached its conclusion, with a Special NDPS Court in Jammu sentencing Kunnu Bharti alias Abhinandan to three years’ imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 10,000.
According to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the case dates back to December 3, 2008, when its Jammu unit recovered 960 grams of charas from Bharti in the Kashmir Basti area of Jammu.
The contraband was allegedly found in a polythene bag in his possession during an operation conducted by the NCB. Following the recovery, a case was registered under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
However, the trial remained pending for several years after Bharti, who had secured bail in 2010, failed to remain available for the subsequent court proceedings.
The NCB said its Jammu unit eventually traced Bharti to Amphalla jail, following which he was produced before the concerned court in August 2025. The circumstances or the case in connection with which he was lodged in the jail were not immediately available.
After the proceedings resumed, the long-pending case culminated on August 11, when the Special NDPS Court found Bharti guilty and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.
The court further directed that failure to deposit the fine would result in an additional two months of rigorous imprisonment.
As a condition for his eventual release, Bharti has also been directed to furnish a bond of Rs 20,000 under Section 34 of the NDPS Act, undertaking to refrain from committing similar offences in the future.
The NCB described the verdict as the culmination of a case that remained pending in the judicial system for nearly two decades. The agency said the development underscored its continued efforts to trace accused persons who evade court proceedings after securing bail and ensure that long-pending narcotics cases are brought to their legal conclusion.
Meanwhile, the NCB has appealed to members of the public to share information concerning the sale, movement and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances through the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline or toll-free number 1933.
The agency said the identity of individuals providing such information would be kept confidential.
