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Hans India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Promise to make Punjab drug-free 'farce', says BJP leader; AAP contradicts
The promise to make Punjab drug-free has once again proven to be a farce as the fifth deadline set by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on May 31 has passed, but the drug situation in the state has not improved, the BJP's state media head Vineet Joshi said on Sunday. He said the ground reality is that 'chitta' (synthetic drug) is now being sold openly, and home delivery of drugs has become common. Responding to the BJP's assertions, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Neel Garg said it has become a party of press conferences, completely detached from the ground realities. He asked the BJP whether they are unaware that in just 90 days, the AAP government has arrested over 14,000 drug smugglers and sent them to jail. 'Are they oblivious to the fact that 8,472 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered under the NDPS Act and that hundreds of encounters have taken place? Furthermore, hundreds of illegal structures built by drug smugglers have been demolished using bulldozers,' he said. Garg highlighted that the BJP might not know how people across villages, towns, and cities -- be it the elderly, women, or youth -- are coming forward to pledge that they will neither consume drugs nor allow their sale. Not convinced with AAP's justification, the BJP leader said the war against drugs is failing because the drug supply chain has not been broken. He stated, 'Drugs will be eradicated only when the supply chain is crushed. During Covid-19, when the drug supply chain was disrupted, long queues were witnessed outside de-addiction centres. But no such scenes were seen during this campaign against drugs, proving the supply chain remains intact'. Joshi said the AAP government is presenting hollow statistics to gain applause. For instance, Member of Parliament Malwinder Kang cited a case in Patiala, 'labelling a youth as a drug smuggler, while in reality he was an addict undergoing treatment at a de-addiction centre for a year. The FIR mentioned only a non-commercial quantity was found with him'. The BJP leader said the seriousness of the government and CM Mann in fighting drugs could be gauged from the fact that no state-level programmes were held on the last three International Anti-Drug Days.
India Gazette
4 hours ago
- India Gazette
Mizoram: DRI seizes Methamphetamine tablets worth 9.72 crores in Seling; one arrested
Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], June 1 (ANI): Continuing the fight against the drug menace, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday seized 9.72 kg of Methamphetamine tablets from a vehicle in Seling, Mizoram, on the Aizawl-Champhai Highway (NH-6) and arrested one person, according to the official statement from Ministry of Finance. The seized tablets have an estimated value of Rs. 9.72 crore in the international illicit drug market. The officials of DRI found 10 packets containing the contraband drug concealed ingeniously in a cavity/chamber on the rear seat. According to the official, the recovered contraband drug and the vehicle have been seized, and one person has been arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the contraband drug was smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector of the Indo-Myanmar border. Since January 2025, DRI has seized over Rs. 72 crore worth of Methamphetamine and Heroin in Mizoram and has arrested seven persons. The NDPS Act prescribes stringent punishment to offenders, including rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years. Earlier on May 30, the Amritsar Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered foreign currency amounting to USD 41,400, approximately Rs. 35.40 lakh, from a passenger at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Punjab, officials said. The passenger was intercepted on Thursday (May 29) while attempting to smuggle the currency on Air India Express Flight IX 191, travelling from Amritsar to Dubai. According to a press release, the foreign currency was cleverly concealed in another bag in the main check-in baggage. Upon preliminary examination, it was found that the seized currency was unaccounted for and far exceeded the permissible limits as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. The currency was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The initial investigation indicates that the accused was involved in the illegal smuggling of foreign currency for monetary gain. Further investigation is currently underway, the release said. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ferozepur: 2.16 kg heroin, intoxicating tablets seized with arrest of 3
Three persons were arrested with 2.16 kg heroin, 360 intoxicating tablets, ₹8.30 lakh drug money in separate cases in Ferozepur on Saturday. The accused in the first case was identified as Harpreet Singh alias Happy, 24, a resident of Nihala Kilcha village, who was caught with 1.062 kg heroin and ₹1.30 lakh drug money. Ferozepur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said Happy has been booked under Section 21 of the Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act. In another case, Rajwinder Singh, 24, of Kilche village was nabbed by Ferozepur Sadar police with 1.102 kg heroin on the Kilche-Kamalwala road and booked under Sections 21 and 23 of the NDPS Act. In the third case, Sandeep Kumar alias Aalu, 33, of Bootewala of Tarn Taran district was nabbed with 360 intoxicating tablets, ₹7 lakh drug money, and a Swift car. A case under Section 22 of the NDPS Act was registered against him.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Major success, but menace is not fully eliminated: Punjab DGP on anti-drug drive after 3 months of deadline
Chandigarh: Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Saturday declared that 'Yudh Nashian De Virudh', a three-month-long anti-drug campaign, has achieved "major success," but acknowledged that the drug menace has not been completely eliminated and asserted that the crackdown will "continue relentlessly. " His remarks assume significance in light of chief minister Bhagwant Mann's directive on Feb 28 setting a three-month deadline to make Punjab drug-free. DGP Yadav said that enforcement efforts would persist with full force. He added that fresh and exhaustive lists of drug peddlers and suppliers are being prepared using inputs from district police, the intelligence wing, and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), with targeted operations planned over the next 60 days. When asked during a press conference on Saturday whether Punjab could now be considered drug-free, Yadav responded: "I can say that drug availability in the state has reduced significantly. There are still pockets where drugs are available, but the earlier perception of easy access no longer holds true." "I cannot say drugs have been totally eliminated because it is a cyclical issue, but significant progress has been made," he added. He further stated that monitoring individuals released on bail is a key focus. "We have devised a system to monitor their activities by involving village elders and panchayats. Cancelling bail for repeat offenders remains a priority," he said. The Punjab Police are also exploring the use of GPS anklets to track the movements of major drug smugglers released on bail. "We are examining the proposal from a legal perspective to track and monitor the movements of bailed-out high-profile smugglers through GPS anklets, subject to approval by the competent court," Yadav noted. Highlighting the role of technology, DGP Yadav said Punjab was the first state in the country to develop the Punjab Artificial Intelligence System (PAIS) in 2019. A new AI-powered hierarchical database is now being developed to map individuals arrested under the NDPS Act and trace backward and forward linkages up to two levels for each case. After successful trials of advanced anti-drone systems along the India-Pakistan border—aimed at combating drone-based smuggling of narcotics, arms, and explosives—the Punjab govt has placed an order to deploy these systems. "These technologies are designed to detect, identify, and neutralise drones, and will significantly disrupt cross-border smuggling networks," he said. Yadav also revealed that the Punjab govt has approved a Rs 500 crore package for the upgradation and modernisation of prisons. Under this plan, each prison will be equipped with a de-addiction centre to provide treatment to inmates battling substance abuse. Since the launch of the campaign on March 1, 2025, Punjab Police registered 8,344 FIRs and arrested 14,734 drug offenders—including 13,038 peddlers and 1,696 listed suppliers/distributors. Due to strict enforcement, substantial seizures have been made, including 586 kg heroin, 247 kg opium, 14 tonne poppy husk, 9 kg charas, 253 kg ganja, 2.5 kg ICE, 1.6 kg cocaine, 25.70 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets and Rs 10.76 crore in drug money. During the 'Yudh Nashian De Virudh' campaign, illegal properties of 144 drug smugglers worth Rs 74.27 crore were frozen, and 104 illegally constructed properties were demolished by local authorities. DGP Yadav noted that the Punjab Police have adopted scientific investigation techniques including digital forensics and financial tracking. Of the 1,205 cases adjudicated during this period, 1,085 ended in conviction—resulting in a conviction rate of 90%, the highest in the country. He further stated that intelligence reports and informal surveys suggest a significant disruption in drug supply chains, leading to a 50% increase in street-level heroin prices and a 40% rise in synthetic drug prices. Repeated and targeted cordon and search operations (CASOs) have forced notorious smugglers to flee, weakening local networks and reducing operational capacity. The police also dealt a blow to drug finances by disrupting hawala networks. With the arrest of 48 major hawala operators and the seizure of Rs 10.76 crore, the economic foundations of many smuggling networks were effectively dismantled. Yadav lauded the Safe Punjab WhatsApp Chatbot (9779100200), calling it a "game-changer" for its confidentiality feature. The chatbot has received 7,635 tips, resulting in 1,596 FIRs and the arrest of 1,814 accused. Underscoring a compassionate approach, he said the Punjab Police treat drug users as patients, not criminals. Under Section 64-A of the NDPS Act, 1,121 individuals caught with small quantities were sent for de-addiction and rehabilitation. Additionally, 5,786 drug users were taken to de-addiction centres, and 6,483 were convinced to seek treatment at OOAT centres. In a new initiative, station house officers (SHOs) will personally engage with individuals released on bail, obtain written pledges to abstain from drugs, and offer medical assistance. Strict action will be taken against repeat offenders, Yadav warned. He also announced the Each One Adopt One programme, where every police officer—from the DGP downward—will adopt a drug user and help with their de-addiction and rehabilitation. "Starting with myself, each officer will voluntarily adopt one drug user, monitor their treatment, and motivate them. I encourage the public to do the same to help bring people back into the mainstream," he urged. Looking ahead, the DGP said village panchayats are being urged to assess the drug situation in their areas. Villages found to be free of drugs will be asked to declare themselves 'nasha mukt' (drug-free), while others will be encouraged to devise strategies to achieve the same. Citizens can report drug-related activities anonymously through the Safe Punjab Helpline: "9779100200".
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Framed: Department orders inquiry into wrongful probe
DJ Halli Police Station Disciplinary inquiry Once named as Accused No 3 in a drug case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Murali has been officially discharged by the court after it was found that he had been falsely implicated. The case, registered at the, has now triggered an internal inquiry into potential lapses and misconduct by the investigating case, filed under Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act, involves charges related to possession and trade of ganja (cannabis) in commercial quantity. The law carries a minimum punishment of 10 years, which may extend up to 20 years, along with a fine starting from `1 the police arrested an African national, Sonu (A1), and later named Murali and another person as absconding co-accused. A chargesheet filed in July 2023 alleged that all three were involved in the drug during proceedings at the Additional City Civil and Sessions Court (NDPS Special Court), the judge noted serious flaws in the investigation. Sonu's statement mentioned an African accomplice and a man named Murali, but there was no specific identification of Murali as drugs were recovered from Murali, and his name appeared only in the final report, without any evidence or investigation records linking him to the crime. The court questioned how police obtained his full address without any formal inquiry or judge criticised the lack of effort to trace or interrogate Murali, stating that his inclusion in the case appeared baseless and lawyer argued that his client was falsely implicated due to a personal dispute. He told the court that Murali was involved in a matrimonial case, and his wife, allegedly related to a senior police officer, may have influenced the case against him as a form of court found no prima facie evidence against Murali, accepted the defence's arguments, and officially discharged him from the case. The Non-Bailable Warrants issued against him were also had first filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) on October 30, 2023, seeking clarity on the his discharge, he submitted a second complaint on March 18, reiterating his concerns and requesting clarity on the response, officials confirmed that they have acknowledged the court's verdict and forwarded the matter for departmental action against the officer responsible for wrongly implicating him. A disciplinary inquiry has also been initiated.'I suffered a lot, my unwell and aged parents went through mental harassment, and I lost my dignity in the community because of the police brutality. I will file a defamation case and ensure justice is served. This is not about financial compensation; that's why I'm going ahead with criminal defamation. This kind of harassment of innocent people must stop,' he said while speaking to BM.
