Supreme Court reduces Ganja possession sentence, considers appellant's circumstances

The Supreme Court condoned the delay in preferring the appeal and modified the appellant's sentence from ten years to six years of rigorous imprisonment for possession of 6.300 kilograms of Ganja under the NDPS Act. The Court considered the quantity of Ganja, the appellant's six years served, and factors like age and family responsibilities. The rest of the judgment confirming the conviction was upheld, despite the State's argument for maximum punishment.

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Issues:
Delay in preferring the appeal, quantum of sentence modification.

Delay in Preferring the Appeal:
The Supreme Court condoned the delay in preferring the appeal after hearing the advocates for both parties. The appellant challenged the judgment of the High Court that confirmed his conviction under the NDPS Act for possession of Ganja. The appellant sought modification of the sentence due to the quantity of Ganja being between small and commercial quantities. The appellant had already served six years of the ten-year sentence. The State opposed modifying the sentence, citing aggravating factors and the seriousness of the offense. The Court considered the quantity of Ganja and the fact that the appellant had already served six years of imprisonment. The Court allowed the appeal in part, modifying the sentence to six years of rigorous imprisonment instead of ten, while confirming the rest of the judgment.

Quantum of Sentence Modification:
The appellant was convicted under the NDPS Act for possession of 6.300 kilograms of Ganja, which falls between small and commercial quantities. The appellant had already served six years of the ten-year sentence imposed by the trial court and confirmed by the High Court. The appellant requested a modification of the sentence based on his age, lack of prior convictions, family responsibilities, and the quantity of Ganja involved. The State opposed modifying the sentence, arguing for the maximum punishment due to the seriousness of the offense. The Court considered the arguments of both parties and decided to modify the sentence to six years of rigorous imprisonment, taking into account the quantity of Ganja and the time already served by the appellant. The rest of the trial court's judgment, confirmed by the High Court, was upheld.

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