Panipat court sentences 3 drug traffickers to 20-year jail in charas case
Synopsis
Three drug traffickers from Pilibhit, UP, have been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a Panipat NDPS court for smuggling 10 kg of charas sourced from Srinagar — a case that also led to the arrest of the supply chain kingpin in Jammu. The verdict, delivered on 5 May 2025, underscores the NCB's push for maximum penalties under the NDPS Act.
Key Takeaways
A Special NDPS Court in Panipat, Haryana sentenced Mohd.
Rehan Shah , and Imran Khan to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each on 5 May 2025 .
All three convicts are residents of Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh .
The court also imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh each on the convicted trio.
The case involved the seizure of 10 kg of charas sourced from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir , intercepted on 28 September 2021 .
The NCB traced the supply chain and arrested the kingpin in Jammu , dismantling the entire network.
Citizens can report drug trafficking via the MANAS helpline at toll-free number 1933 .
A Special NDPS Court in Panipat, Haryana sentenced three interstate drug traffickers to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each on 5 May 2025, in connection with a 2021 charas trafficking case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) confirmed on Thursday. The court also imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh each on the convicted trio.
Who Was Convicted
The Special Court found Mohd. Wali, Mohd. Rehan Shah, and Imran Khan — all residents of Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh — guilty under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The three were prosecuted for illegally transporting 10 kg of charas sourced from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
How the Case Began
The case originated on 28 September 2021, when NCB officials, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted the three suspects in Panipat. The operation led to the seizure of 10 kg of charas, establishing a direct supply link to Srinagar. According to the NCB, investigators subsequently traced the backward linkages of the supply chain, identifying and apprehending the kingpin in Jammu as the main supplier — effectively dismantling the entire trafficking network.
What the NCB Said
Point of View
Conviction headlines mask the reality that supply chains reconstitute quickly when only couriers are jailed. The Jammu arrest of the main supplier, if it holds up in court, is the more consequential outcome here. The NCB's emphasis on conviction rate metrics is welcome, but the true deterrent test is whether supply volumes from the J&K corridor show a measurable decline.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the three drug traffickers sentenced in the Panipat NDPS case?
The three convicted traffickers are Mohd. Wali, Mohd. Rehan Shah, and Imran Khan, all residents of Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. They were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each by a Special NDPS Court in Panipat on 5 May 2025.
What drugs were seized in the Panipat NCB case?
NCB officials seized 10 kg of charas during the operation on 28 September 2021 in Panipat, Haryana. The charas was sourced from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, according to the NCB's official statement.
What penalty did the court impose beyond imprisonment?
In addition to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, the Special NDPS Court imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on each of the three convicted traffickers.
How did the NCB crack the drug supply chain in this case?
The NCB traced backward linkages from the arrested couriers to identify the main supplier, who was subsequently apprehended in Jammu. This disrupted the entire supply chain, according to the agency.
How can citizens report drug trafficking to the NCB?
The NCB urges citizens to share information about narcotics trafficking through the MANAS — National Narcotics Helpline at toll-free number 1933. The agency assures that informers' identities will be kept confidential.
