In Brief
The State of Himachal Pradesh appealed against a High Court acquittal that had reversed a trial court conviction for drug trafficking. The case involved the recovery of 18.85 kg of cannabis from a vehicle in extreme cold weather on a busy highway. The High Court had acquitted the accused primarily because independent witnesses were absent and the contraband parcel was produced in torn condition. The Supreme Court allowed the State's appeal, holding that independent witnesses are not indispensable in narcotic drug cases. The Court found the High Court's grounds unsustainable: the absence of witnesses was justified given the late evening, extreme cold, and busy road location; and the torn condition was adequately explained by the bulky nature of the parcel and physical damage during storage. The conviction and sentence were restored.
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