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Supreme Court of India 2020-04-22

Hira Singh and Another vs Union of India and Another

Bench: 3 — <UNKNOWN>

In Brief

This case addresses how to measure drug quantity under India's narcotic laws when drugs are mixed with neutral substances. The Supreme Court ruled that when determining whether a seizure constitutes a "small" or "commercial" quantity of narcotics, the total weight of the mixture—including neutral substances—must be counted, not just the active drug content. The Court overruled a prior interpretation that excluded neutral substance weight, holding this did not reflect the legislature's intent. The appeals were dismissed, establishing that quantity thresholds are measured by total mixture weight for sentencing purposes."

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Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Criminal Law Sentencing Drug Offences Statutory Interpretation Small vs. Commercial Quantity

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