HONBLE SIDDHARTH, J. - (1.) Heard Sri Om Prakash Singh, learned Senior Counsel, assisted by Sri Rajesh Pratap Singh and Sri Sushil Kumar Rao, learned counsels for the applicant and Sri Krishna Agarwal, learned counsel appearing for opposite party, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
(2.) The allegation against the applicant in the complaint filed by opposite party is that on prior information received by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, search operation of truck of the applicant was conducted on 20.03.2019. Applicant disclosed his identity as cleaner of the truck while the other person in the truck namely, Harun Khan, disclosed his identity as its driver. Ganja was found concealed between the bamboos loaded in the truck. 10 red plastic sacks of 10 kg each (approx.) allegedly containing ganja were recovered. They were weighed on electronic machine available in the office of opposite party and total quantity was found to be 102.50 kg and net weight was found to be 100 kg, after deducting the weight of packing material. Thereafter small quantity of ganja was drawn from each packet by way of scratching and after mixing them well, two representative samples, each weighing about 24 gms, were drawn and were sealed.
(3.) Learned Senior Counsel for the applicant has submitted that the general procedure for sampling provided in Standing Order No. 01 of 1989 dated 13.06.1989 has not been complied by the opposite party. He has relied upon clause 2.1 to 2.8 of the aforesaid standing order quoted hereinbelow :- 2.1 All drugs shall be classified, carefully, weighed and sampled on the spot of seizure. 2.2 All the packages/containers shall be numbered and kept in lots for sampling. Samples from the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances seized, shall be drawn on the spot of recovery, in duplicate, in the presence of search witnesses (Panchas) and the persons from whose possession the drug is recovered and a mention to this effect should invariably be made in the panchnama drawn on the spot. 2.3 The quantity to be drawn in each sample for chemical test shall not be less than 5 grams in respect of all narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances save in the cases of opium, ganja and charas (hashish) were a quantity of 24 grams in each case is required for chemical test. The same quantities shall be taken for the duplicate sample also. The seized drugs in the packages/containers shall be well mixed to make it homogeneous and representative before the sample (in duplicate) is drawn. 2.4 In the case of seizure of a single package/container, one sample in duplicate shall be drawn. Normally, it is advisable to draw one sample (in duplicate) from each package/container in case of seizure of more than one package/container. 2.5 However, when the packages/containers seized together are of identical size and weight, bearing identical markings and the contents of each package given identical results on colour test by the drug identification kit, conclusively indicating that the packages are identical in all respects the packages/container may be carefully bunched in lots of 10 package/containers except in the case of ganja and hashish (charas), where it may be bunched in lots of, 40 such packages/containers. For each such lot of packages/containers, one sample (in duplicate) may be drawn. 2.6 Where after making such lots, in the case of hashish and ganja, less than 20 packages/containers remain, and in the case of other drugs, less than 5 packages/containers remain, no bunching would be necessary and no samples need be drawn. 2.7 If such remainder is 5 or more in the case of other drugs and substances and 20 or more in the case of ganja and hashish, one more sample (in duplicate) may be drawn for such remainder package/container. 2.8 While drawing one sample (in duplicate) from a particular lot, it must be ensured that representative sample the in equal quantity is taken from each package/container of that lot and mixed together to make a composite whole from which the samples are drawn for that lot. ;