GIVE DETAILS OF DRUG SEIZURES

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday sought details of drug seizure cases registered by Punjab and Haryana and Chandigarh police in the past one year.

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday sought details of drug seizure cases registered by Punjab and Ha ryan a and Chandigarh police in the past one year.

The high court division bench of justice Surya Kant and justice Sudhir Mitt al also asked both the governments and the UT to give details of seizures, number of persons arrested and detail about the cases where challans have been presented in trial courts.

The division bench was hearing asuomotu petition in which it is monitoring measures by both the states and the UT in fighting the drug menace. The suo motu petition was initiated in 2013 following Punjab Police busting a drug racket involving Jagdish B ho la, a dismissed deputy super- intendent of police.

During the hearing, the Punjab government told the court that a special task force( ST F) has been setup to investigate drug-related cases and suggest ways to fight the menace. The court was informed that the task force has given its report to the government.

The court gave two weeks to the government to act on the report and asked the state to apprise it by next date of hearing.

The court was also told that the STF and the Border Security Force have held a meeting recently as to how to stop crossborder smuggling of drugs. The court asked Punjab and central government agencies to meet more often.

Punjab also told the court that as many as 100 shops were found being run against the rules and 52 were without valid licences.

The Centre also gave a sealed cover report on border fencing with Pakistan. The court was also told that the STF and the Border Security Force have held a meeting on stopping cross-border smuggling of drugs.