The Cachar District and Sessions Court on Tuesday (December 17) sentenced a Manipur woman to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, for drug trafficking across the state boundary. The sentence was pronounced by a court of the Special Judge, chaired by Biprajit Roy.
The accused, Naivung Kuki (43), a resident of Saikulpi village under Lamka Police Station in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, was found guilty of trafficking cannabis (ganja) across the Assam-Manipur state border back in 2024.
According to the prosecution, Naivung was arrested on March 19, 2024, from the Fulertal ferry ghat in Lakhipur while allegedly transporting ganja. Police had received specific information that a woman was carrying contraband by a motorised boat along the Barak River from the Jirighat side. Acting on the tip-off, a police team laid a trap at the ferry ghat.
When the boat arrived, police conducted a search operation and recovered 15.341 kg of ganja from two bags in her possession. She was arrested on the spot.
During interrogation, police reportedly learnt that Naivung, who was staying at a relief camp in Manipur at the time, had brought the ganja to Fulertal with the intention of selling it to another person.
Following the completion of the investigation, the charge sheet was filed, and the case was taken up for trial. After hearing the matter, the court convicted Naivung on Monday and pronounced the sentence on Tuesday (December 16).
The court sentenced her to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh. In default of payment of the fine, she will have to undergo an additional six months of imprisonment.
