In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed Kallu Khan's appeal against his conviction under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act. He was initially convicted by the trial court and the High Court affirmed the order, sentencing him to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. He challenged the conviction arguing that the search and seizure were unauthorized, lacked independent witnesses, and did not comply with Section 50. The Court held that Section 50's compliance is mandatory only for personal search, not for vehicle seizure in public places. Where contraband is seized from a vehicle in a chance recovery, Section 43 applies. Conviction based on police testimony without independent witnesses is valid if seizure is otherwise proved and the accused's conduct was suspicious. The concurrent findings of both courts were upheld, requiring no interference."
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