Mangaluru: The district and sessions court on Friday sentenced 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for two men from Tamil Nadu and slapped with a fine of Rs 1 lakh after they were found guilty of peddling a huge quantity of ganja.

Dharmasthala police and District Crime Investigation Bureau (DCIB) acting on a tip off arrested Chandrakumar alias Sinnavan (36), Shanthakumar (24) from Gudaluru Nadugaani (in Tamil Nadu) near Dharmasthala KSRTC bus stand on May 23, 2017, and  had seized 20.135 kg ganja worth over Rs 4 lakh. The sub-inspector of Dharmasthala had filed the chargesheet against the drug peddlers.

Public prosecutor Kudriya Pushparaj Adyanthaya had paraded as many as five witnesses, including DySP C R Ravish. Principal district and sessions court Judge Kadloor Sathyanarayanacharya upholding the arguments of public prosecutor Pushparaj Adyanthaya sentenced them to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The drug peddlers will have to serve an additional period of six months, if they fail to pay a fine amount of Rs 1 lakh.

Another accused Tamil Selvi, however, was acquitted on grounds of lack of evidences.

(With inputs from DHNS)