HC makes CBI party in drug menace case

Thursday, 12/12/2013

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131212/punjab.htm#3

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court today made the Central Bureau of Investigation a party in the Punjab drug menace case; and called for a status report from the Punjab Government on steps initiated by it so far to deal with the menace.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, Punjab’s former Director-General of Police Shashi Kant sought directions for making the premier investigating agency a party for dealing with cross-border drug trafficking.

Kant told the court that the CBI was the country’s representative for the purposes of correspondence with the Interpol; and its participation was must to deal with the drug menace in the state.

Taking a note of his assertion, the High Court impleaded the CBI as a party in the case.

The High Court has already made it clear that it was in favour of carrying out blood and urine tests of the prisoners at the time of their admission to the jails, followed by periodic checks.

A Division Bench has also made it clear that the jail superintendents may find themselves in trouble, if periodic checks revealed the use of drugs by inmates.

The directions are in sync with recommendations made by advocate Navkiran Singh, counsel for petitioner Tarlochan Singh.

The Bench also asked the Centre and the Punjab Government to convene a meeting to finalise the deployment of paramilitary forces in state jails.

A Mohali resident, Tarlochan Singh was lodged at Ropar district jail at the time of filing the petition. The inmate is seeking an inquiry not only into the sale of intoxicants in the Ropar Jail “in connivance with jail officials”, but also their “highhandedness” towards prisoners reporting against illegal activities.

ASI's son held with drugs

Ropar: The district police have arrested three persons on the charge of drug trafficking in the last 24 hours. The accused have been identified as Ravinder, son of an Assistant Sub-Inspector posted at Anandpur Sahib police malkhana, his accomplice Sher Singh and Gurdev Singh of Anandpur Sahib.