Govt mulling lowering juvenile age in narcotic cases as minors being used for drug peddling: Fadnavis

Indian Express

17 hours ago

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the state government is examining the possibility of lowering the age of juveniles from 18 to 16 in drug-related offences in a bid to curb the increasing use of minors by drug trafficking networks.
'It is true that minors are being used for this (drug peddling). We are working on two things—we are checking whether the definition of age limit of juveniles can be changed in such cases (of drug peddling) and can we lower the age by two years, on the lines of rape cases, (where the minor accused persons' age limit as a juvenile has been reduced from 18 to 16 and now they can be prosecuted as a major),' Fadnavis said, while replying to a calling attention motion in the Assembly.
He further said the government is also exploring the legal and investigative means to establish direct links between adult peddlers and the minors they use to prosecute both of them. 'We are working on whether we can pinpoint the person who is using the minors, by tracing and establishing a link between them,' he said.
An official from the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Mumbai Police said that in the past they found several cases in which minors have been used to supply narcotics. 'The simple logic behind this is that even if minors are caught, they cannot be sent to prison and are sent to an observation home from where they are released on bail and again used in the drug trade. The maximum punishment too is much lesser as compared to adults and the police cannot apply force on minors making them the perfect choice for being used in the drugs trade. Hence it is a step in the right direction to reduce the age of juveniles so that they do not get advantage of being underage,' the official said.
The issue was raised in the House by Shiv Sena MLA Vilas Bhumare, who highlighted the worsening drug situation in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, saying several areas in the city have turned into open markets for narcotics. Bhumare also referred to a recent case where a mother approached the Damini Squad to help rescue her daughter from drug addiction, allegedly enabled by a local peddling network.
He also questioned the reported celebration involving a 'non-veg party' following a drug-related arrest in the jurisdiction of Waluj police station, calling it 'shocking' and demanding an inquiry.
Shiv Sena UBT MLA Varun Sardesai raised concerns over the misuse of legal protections meant for minors and questioned whether the government planned any legal changes to address this gap. He also alleged selective enforcement in certain areas, such as Behrampada in Mumbai, and sought action against international drug rackets.
In response, Fadnavis said the state is preparing to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against repeat drug offenders. A bill to that effect has already been passed by the legislature.
He also raised concern over the increasing involvement of foreign nationals, particularly Nigerian citizens, in the drug trade. While laws permit deportation, many accused reportedly commit petty offences to evade removal from the country.
'There is a provision for deportation, but many deliberately commit minor offences to avoid it. The Centre has been asked to pardon such minor offences so that deportation can take place,' Fadnavis said.
Meanwhile, in another a reply to calling attention notice, Fadnavis, who heads the energy department, announced the government has approved a scheme to provide free electricity to households consuming up to 100 units through rooftop solar panel installations.
'Subsidy will be given to set up rooftop solar panels, which will ensure zero electricity bills for small domestic consumers,' he said.