Agra: A 37-year-old Agra man, who was sent to jail two years ago under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, has been acquitted by a local court. Ankit Gupta worked as a salesman for a food product firm. He had to spend eight months in jail to complete the bail process. While there was no criminal record against him.
During the two years of trial in this case, the police could not present any concrete evidence against him before the court. In the charge sheet, the police had claimed that 35 packets of marijuana weighing 74.9 kg were recovered from his car. After coming out of the jail, he told the story of police atrocities.
what was the matter
Ankit told reporters on Saturday that on March 12, 2021, he had organized a party at home on his wedding anniversary. His car was parked outside. Suddenly two policemen entered my house in civil dress and while abusing me asked me to remove the car. Ankit had a mild argument with those policemen. During this, three more policemen in uniform came and took Ankit away. The next day, a case was registered under the NDPS Act and he was sent to jail. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Sub Inspector Vipin Kumar.
I was asked for Rs 3 lakh, I was sent to jail for not giving – Ankit Gupta
Ankit further said that the policemen took me to many places. During this I was beaten up. He threatened that if I did not give him Rs 3 lakh, he would send me to jail. A false case was registered against me for being unable to arrange the money. Due to which I had to spend eight months in jail and had to fight a tough legal battle for two years. During this I lost my job and my reputation.
I belong to a very respectable family. My late father was an assistant engineer in the irrigation department. No one has ever been against the law, even among my distant relatives and friends. The court finally cleared me of all charges, but I cannot forget the atrocities committed against me by the police for the rest of my life. Now I just want to live in peace.
Police could not present evidence – lawyer Vinay Gaur
Ankit Gupta’s lawyer Vinay Gaur said that the police had prepared a fake case against an innocent person. The prosecution was not able to produce any public witness. Police had claimed that Ankit was arrested with marijuana in his car near a major hospital. Despite the presence of several CCTV cameras in the area around the hospital, no footage related to the case was produced in the court.
Section 50 of the NDPS Act provides that it is the duty of the investigating officer to inform the accused of his rights, which include the important right to be searched before a magistrate or a gazetted officer. The police did not follow the legal provisions as mandated under the NDPS Act. Gaur further said that the statement of an AC mechanic working at Ankit’s house on the day the police picked him up also played an important role in his acquittal.
(youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2c1BlLneBY)
