Punjab: After high court rap, Partap Singh Bajwa withdraws PIL seeking CBI probe into drug racket

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However, when Bajwa’s counsel N S Boparai submitted that the main aim of filing of the petition was to assist the court as drug racket cannot be stopped till high and mighty people are not investigated, the court said Boparai may assist the court in the case but as officer of the court.

The Punjab government informed the court that it had sent a list to the CBI of 12 NRIs allegedly linked to drug racket for their extradition and, thereafter, 11 Red Corner notices have been issued. On this, the court directed the CBI to inform on the next date of hearing the steps taken to arrest the NRIs and expedite extradition keeping in view gravity of the case.

The court further questioned, “why are we so helpless that we can’t arrest them when we know their roots?”

CBI has issued Red Corner notices against Harbans Singh Sidhu, Pardeep Singh Dhaliwal, Parminder Singh Deo, Ranjit Singh Aujla, Sarabjit Singh Sander, Amarinder Singh Chhina, Lehmber Singh Daleh, Amardeep Singh Kooner, Amarinder Singh Chhina, Gursewak Singh Dhillon and Nirankar Singh Dhillon.

Appearing for the CBI, advocate Sukhdeep Singh Sandhu informed the court that one of the NRIs is from United States and one from Canada. The court also directed the CBI to apprise the court if it is facing any kind of problem in the case.

The court further directed the ministry of home affairs to apprise the court on the next date of hearing as to what steps have been taken to seal the international Indo-Pak border in Punjab as suggested by the BSF. The Centre was also directed to inform about the steps taken to deploy sufficient manpower in the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Taking note of former Punjab DGP (Prisons) Shashi Kant’s submissions, the court ordered the Punjab Police to submit a report on steps taken after registration of two FIRs in 2013 and 2014 in the multi-crore drug racket case to curb drug menace within and outside the state.