- (1.) Leave granted.
(2.) These appeals are directed against the judgment and order dated 31.01.2011 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal No. 2079 SB of 2009 whereby the High Court dismissed the criminal appeal filed by the appellant herein and also of the order dated 17.05.2011 passed by the High Court in Crl.M. No. 26283 of 2011 regarding correction of the date in the judgment.
(3.) Brief facts: (i) According to the prosecution, on 27.06.2004, at about 5.00 p.m., a special barricading was set up by the police party at Basantpur Bus Stand, Patiala. At that time, the police party signaled to stop a silver colour Indica Car bearing No. DL-7CC-0654 which was coming from the side of Rajpura. The driver of the said car (appellant herein), accompanied with one Vikas Kumar (since deceased), who was sitting next to him, instead of stopping the car tried to run away, but the police party immediately blocked the way and managed to stop the car. On suspicion, the police checked the car and found two plastic bags containing 'bhooki' opium powder from the dickey of the said vehicle. The contents of both the bags were mixed and two samples of 250 gms. each were taken out. The remaining contraband weighing 69.50 kgs. was sealed in two bags and the samples were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. (ii) On the same day, i.e., 27.06.2004, a First Information Report (FIR) being No. 105 of 2004 was lodged by the police against the appellant herein and Vikas Kumar under Sections 8, 15, 60, and 61 of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances, Act, 1985 (in short "the NDPS Act"). (iii) On receipt of the report of the Chemical Examiner and after completion of all the formalities relating to investigation, the case was committed to the Special Court, Patiala and numbered as Sessions Case No. 118T/06.09.04/17.11.08. During the pendency of the case, Vikas Kumar died. The Special Court, Patiala, by order dated 20.08.2009, convicted the appellant herein under Section 15 of the NDPS Act and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 10 years alongwith a fine of Rs. One lakh, in default, to further undergo R.I. for one year. (iv) Being aggrieved, the appellant herein filed Criminal Appeal No. 2079 SB of 2009 before the High Court of Punjab & Haryana. Learned single Judge of the High Court, by impugned order dated 31.01.2011, dismissed the said appeal. Questioning the same, the appellant has filed these appeals by way of special leave before this Court. ;