In Brief
The appellant was convicted and sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for trafficking in poppy husk (34.8 kg) found in a car during a police search. He appealed, contending the search violated Sections 50 and 57 of the NDPS Act. The Supreme Court held that Section 50 applies only to personal searches, not vehicle searches, and was therefore inapplicable. Section 57's reporting requirement had been substantially complied with, as the investigating officer reported the seizure to his superior officer and the Ilaka Magistrate on the same date without delay. The prosecution's evidence—testimony of seizure witnesses, chain of custody documentation, FSL confirmation of sample integrity, and the substantial quantity of contraband—established guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The Court affirmed the conviction and sentence.
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