Majority of drug addicts in India are youths, a cause for rising crimes: Punjab and Haryana HC

The court expressed concern over the alarming spike in the number of people buying and selling drugs in the country, especially in Punjab, and called for the need to control the drug menace effectively.

Written by: Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

3 min readChandigarhJan 5, 2023 12:09 PM IST

drug addiction, drugs punjab, drug menace india, drug menace punjab, drug abuse

Used syringes and bottles found in a village in Punjab's Amritsar. (Express File Photo)

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Majority of drug addicts in India are youths, a cause for rising crimes: Punjab and Haryana HC

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The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed deep concern over the rising number of youths in India getting addicted to drugs and peddling.

“This country has one of the largest number of youths, a factor to power economic growth, but an overwhelming majority of addicts are amongst these youths, which has resulted in increase of crime and violence,” observed the Bench of Justice Namit Kumar, while dismissing the anticipatory bail plea of a drug peddler, Faisal Junaid, on December 23.

Junaid was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, (NDPS Act), at City-II police station in Punjab’s Malerkotla district in a First Information Report (FIR) registered on November 8, 2022.

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The HC added that the lives of the citizens are being destroyed due to the selling of these banned substances. “There is an alarming spike in the number of people buying and selling these contraband in the country, especially in Punjab, which needs to be controlled in an effective manner so as to minimise the said offence, if not to eradicate,” the court held.

Faisal Junaid was taken into custody along with Mohammad Imran and Anwar who were involved in sale of intoxicant vials. Based on a tip-off, 82 vials were seized from their custody during a raid. The counsel for Junaid submitted that he was innocent and had been falsely implicated in the case on the basis of the statement given by the co-accused, from whom, the banned vials were recovered.

Opposing the bail plea, Adhiraj Singh, Additional Advocate General of Punjab, argued that recovery of 82 vials was done from co-accused, Mohammad Imran and Anwar, who have stated that the contraband was purchased from the petitioner and therefore, the custodial interrogation of Junaid was necessary to unearth the truth from where he was getting the contraband and to whom the petitioner was selling the substance.

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Justice Kumar, after hearing the matter, said that the police have to unearth the total facts as to how the petitioner got the intoxicant vials in his possession and check whether the petitioner was selling the substance to more people or not. “For effective interrogation, especially for the violation of NDPS Act, custodial interrogation is necessary,” the judge said, who added that the increasing number of drug addicts day by day has resulted into an upsetting situation.

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“The role of operators, who are working from behind the scene, also needs to be brought out as they are the actual offenders and for that purpose custodial interrogation of the petitioner is must,” the court held.

The HC, thus finding no ground to grant the petitioner the benefit of anticipatory bail, dismissed the plea.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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