Mizoram: Man sentenced to 10-year imprisonment for possessing heroin

Aizawl: A fast track court in Assam border Kolasib district has sentenced a 45-year-old man to undergo rigorous imprisonment of 10 years for possessing heroin, court officials said on Wednesday.

The judge of the fast track court R. Vanlalena on Tuesday convicted Zarzova, a resident of Assam border Mauchar village in Aizawl district for possessing and peddling 324 grams of heroin, they said.

The fast track court also slapped a fine of Rs. 1 lakh against the convict and on default, he will undergo an additional one-year jail term.

The convict, who has been released on bail, was produced to the court on Tuesday for pronouncement of the quantum of punishment and he was sent to jail after pronouncement of the sentence, officials said.

Zarzova was arrested along with Lalduhawma (25) by officials of the state Excise and Narcotics department near Bukpui village in Kolasib district on March 20, 2021, while he was trying to sell the 324 grams of heroin to another person.

Lalduhawma was hired by Zarzova to ride a bike used for transporting the contraband.

The court exonerated Lalduhawma as he claimed that he did not know what Zarzova was carrying as the accused hired his bike as a cab and that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt due to a lack of hard evidence.