‘NCB wants to take over top cases as per Shah’s directive’

Nawab Malik questions agency’s efficiency, motive behind it

NCP minister Nawab Malik on Friday alleged that the NCB wants to take over the “top five” cases from Maharashtra police as per Union home minister Amit Shah’s directives and questioned the motive behind it. He alleged that the move is tantamount to Centre violating state’s powers.

“We want to know the criteria for (selecting) top five cases. Will it be decided on the basis of quantity of drugs seized or on the basis of which cases garnered a lot of publicity?” Mr Malik said.

Interestingly, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) communication shared by Mr Malik was sent to all states. The NCB has asked all states to choose three-five cases that involve inter-state or international networks and hand them over to the Central agency.

“It is suggested that states may, where found appropriate and expedient, consider handing over such cases to NCB to undertake the task of trying to unearth the entire network,” the NCB communication says.

NCB director general S.N. Pradhan wrote to the Maharashtra director general of police on November 24 asking for a list of five cases fit to be handed over to the NCB, Mr Malik said.

“The state police have done a lot more work than the NCB in the fight against the drugs menace. If the Centre finds its agency incompetent, it should be improved or scrapped. Why were the rights of the states being infringed upon in this manner despite there being no provision in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for such a take-over. Is there an ulterior motive?” the Nationalist Congress Party leader said.