A local court in Fazilka sentenced a former Border Security Force (BSF) constable, Arwind Saroye, to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in cross-border heroin smuggling along the India–Pakistan international border.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹4 lakh on the convict. In default of payment, he will have to undergo an additional two years of imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, Arwind Saroye was deployed beyond the barbed-wire fence along the international border. On June 20, 2022, during routine duty, security personnel allegedly recovered 4.235 kg of heroin from his bag. The contraband had allegedly been sent from Pakistan and was concealed inside plastic bottles.
Following the recovery, the BSF handed over the case to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for further investigation. The trial was conducted in the court of additional district and sessions judge Ajit Pal Singh in Fazilka.
After examining the evidence and witness testimonies, the court found Saroye guilty under Sections 21(c), 23(c) and 8 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He was awarded 15 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a monetary penalty.
NCB counsel Romil Bajaj informed the court that the seizure was made near the Jodhawala border post area close to Jalalabad, where Saroye was posted at the time. He said the heroin consignment had been concealed between three plastic bottles inside the bag carried by the constable while on duty beyond the border fence.
The prosecution argued that the involvement of a member of a force such as the BSF in cross-border drug trafficking constituted an extremely serious offence.
www.hindustantimes.com
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