The apex court is supervising the performance and action taken by nodal officers, including the director general of police of Punjab, in narcotics cases.Hearing a suo-moto matter over Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) cases, the Supreme Court has asked the Punjab state government to file a status report on steps taken to ensure that the absconding offenders or accused persons in such cases are brought to book within a reasonable time.
A division bench of Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice J B Pardiwala has asked the Punjab government to file the status report before July 12.
The apex court is supervising the performance and action taken by nodal officers, including the director general of police of Punjab, in narcotics cases. The court took cognizance of the issue after hearing the bail matters of accused from Punjab in NDPS cases. The bail pleas, however, were dismissed by the Supreme Court.
On May 17, when the suo-moto matter came up for hearing before the division bench, an additional affidavit filed by Sarabjit Singh, PPS, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Litigation, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab, Chandigarh, was placed on record. The affidavit referred to the office orders issued by the DGP.
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After perusing the affidavit, the bench said in the order, “Assurance is given by the Advocate General on behalf of the respondent-state that all essential steps will be taken to ensure that the absconding offenders/accused person are brought to book within a reasonable time and failing which the officer, who is made personally liable in terms of the order shall be proceeded with departmentally for the acts of commission and omission.”
The bench thus ordered to post these matters on July 12. “Further status report be filed well-in-advance,” the order said.
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