LI Network
Published on: March 21, 2024 at 20:44 IST
Elvish Yadav, who was brought to Surajpur Court from the district jail in Greater Noida, had a charge against him amended on Thursday morning. There were reports circulating that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) had been removed from his case, but this is not accurate.
Only one charge, under section 8/20, has been amended to 8/22 of the NDPS act.
The reason for this change is that section 8/20 deals specifically with punishment related to the ‘cannabis plant and cannabis only.’ However, Elvish Yadav’s case involves ‘Snake Venom,’ which falls under the NDPS act but in Section 8/22. This section also carries serious consequences and is non-bailable, like sec 8/20.
Section 8/22 of the NDPS act outlines punishments for contravention related to ‘Psychotropic Substances.’ It states that those found in contravention of the Act regarding psychotropic substances may face rigorous imprisonment or fines depending on the quantity involved. The severity of punishment increases with the quantity of the substance involved, ranging from imprisonment up to one year for small quantities to imprisonment for ten to twenty years for commercial quantities, along with hefty fines.