Archive · 25 May 2025
Mumbai Court Acquits Five in Drugs Case After 21 Years
A group of five people were accused of dealing drugs.
The police thought they found the drugs in a taxi.
The case took 21 years to go to court.
In the end, the judge said the police didn't have enough proof to say the five people did it.
They didn't have evidence like phone calls or money records.
The judge also wasn't sure the drugs the police found were handled correctly.
So, the five people were found not guilty, meaning they are free.
A special court acquitted five individuals in a drug case after a 21-year trial.
The accused were charged with possession, transportation, and conspiracy related to Buprenorphine.
The court cited the prosecution's failure to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution's case was based on the interception of a taxi with Buprenorphine ampules in 2004.
A key witness's access to evidence raised doubts about sample integrity.
- Who
- Mohammed Omar Mistry, Dharmendra Saroj, Uday Raj Yadav, Atiq-Ur-Rehman, and Shiraj Panjwani were accused; The NDPS court delivered the verdict.
- What
- The accused were acquitted in a drug case involving Buprenorphine.
- When
- The verdict was delivered after a 21-year trial.
- Where
- Mumbai, India.
- Why
- The prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Defense
The Prosecution
Evidence Validity
The Defense
The defense argued that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, citing lack of evidence connecting the accused to the seized drugs, and issues with evidence integrity.
The Prosecution
The prosecution argued that the accused were involved in the illegal trafficking of Buprenorphine, and provided evidence of the drugs and conspiracy.
- Accused
- Mohammed Omar Mistry, Dharmendra Saroj, Uday Raj Yadav, Atiq-Ur-Rehman, Shiraj Panjwani
- Charges
- Possession, transportation, import or export, and criminal conspiracy
- Drug
- Buprenorphine
- Drug Quantity
- Approximately 20,000 ampules
- Location of Interception
- Near JJ Hospital, Mumbai
- Date of Interception
- April 1, 2004
- Trial Duration
- 21 years