Cracking down on drug menace, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday extended full support to law enforcement agencies and called for preventive detention of repeat offenders in drug smuggling. He also directed to set up fast track courts for such cases.
"The Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 (NDPS Act) provides for preventive detention of such criminals. Will take up the matter of operationalising fast track courts for speedy trials for NDPS offenders at the earliest with the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court," the chief minister said in the meeting, according to an official statement.
Singh was holding a video conference with senior police officials to review the progress on drug eradication and discuss the future strategy. Earlier, the chief minister held a meeting of a consultative group on drugs: comprehensive action plan against drugs abuse.
"The chief minister extended his government's full support to the eight Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) teams assigned to map the border areas of Punjab and strengthen coordination with other states in the fight against drugs in the region," the statement said.
The meeting was also attended by several lawmakers and senior government officials.
"The Chief Minister's letter to the Prime Minister seeking a national drugs policy had evoked a positive response from the Centre, with Home Minister Amit Shah directing his officers to ensure better coordination in the matter," the Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said.
Reiterated his government's Zero Tolerance policy, the chief minister also cracked down on colluding government officials and directed the DGP to bring out a comprehensive transfers policy to break the nexus between police and drugs criminals.
"Those involved would be liable for dismissal and compulsorily retirement. Criminal cases under Section 29 of the NDPS Act (Abetment) and Prevention of Corruption Act to be registered, wherever involvement and wrongdoing is established," the chief minister said.
"Sub-divisional Deputy Superintendent of Police and Station House Officers will be held accountable for any drug-related crimes in their respective areas. Non-performing officers will be shunted out," the chief minister said.
It was also announced that Punjab would host the next meeting of the chief ministers of neighbouring states for more effective coordination of the drug enforcement efforts across States.
He directed the preparation of detention proposals of big Drug smugglers, ordered the activation of 181 Punjab Police Helpline and said that a reward scheme is being finalised to incentivise the people to join the fight against drugs.
( With inputs from ANI )