A special court in Papum Pare district has sentenced a 41-year-old woman from Assam to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh after convicting her under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for possessing 34.72 grams of heroin. The court also made strong observations on the growing drug menace in the state, saying that drug trafficking is destroying the future of the youth.
Special Judge (NDPS) Dr Hirendra Kashyap awarded the sentence to Saheeda Khatoon, a resident of Nagaon district in Assam, after finding her guilty under Section 21 (b) of the NDPS Act. The court directed her to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh, failing which she would undergo an additional two months of simple imprisonment. The period of 11 months and 24 days already spent in judicial custody during investigation and trial will be set off against the sentence.
According to the prosecution, the Banderdewa police raided Khatoon’s rented house at Niya Colony on 17 February, 2025, and recovered three soap cases containing 34.72 grams of heroin concealed inside a blue backpack. A forensic examination later confirmed the seized substance to be diacetylmorphine (heroin).
During the sentencing hearing, the defence sought leniency, submitting that the convict is the mother of minor children and her imprisonment would adversely affect her family. However, the prosecution opposed the plea, contending that she was a habitual drug peddler, was facing trial in another NDPS case involving commercial quantity of narcotics, and was wanted in several narcotics-related cases in Assam.
The court rejected the plea for mercy, observing that Khatoon had allegedly been using Hotel Holiday Inn in Banderdewa as a centre for supplying drugs to youths for illegal financial gain. It further noted that she was allegedly involved in multiple NDPS cases, and held that she did not deserve the benefit of probation. The court also expressed concern over the rampant drug trafficking in the Itanagar-Naharlagun capital region, which has contributed to rising crimes and communicable diseases among young people, and emphasized the need for a stern response to safeguard society.
