Punjab and Haryana High Court criticises DGP's appearance in drug case, deems government ineffective
Chandigarh, October 12: In the ongoing drug case, Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta appeared before the Punjab and Haryana High Court today. The court strongly reprimanded the DGP, expressing doubt that the Punjab government is not taking effective action against the drug issue. The court even went on to suggest that the Punjab Police might be colluding with the drug mafia.
Taking a stern stance, the court told the government lawyer, "Your DGP is ineffectual, and so is the government itself." It demanded an apology from the government before taking immediate action. The High Court stated, "The government should not merely assure the court but demonstrate concrete actions."
#WATCH | Punjab Home Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav arrive at Punjab and Haryana High Court to appear in connection with a drug trial case. pic.twitter.com/qnI9vhVPfo — ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2023
DGP Punjab responded by emphasising the strict actions taken by the police, but the High Court reiterated that it is their duty and they need to be more proactive. The court inquired, "Apart from arrests and seizures, what else is your force doing? Why are your policemen not producing witnesses?" The court insisted that the government provide details of the steps being taken by the following day.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently raised concerns about the absence of police officers as witnesses in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. It suggested that there could be an unholy alliance between the accused and the police officers. The court stressed the urgency of addressing the drug menace and called on the government to take action and streamline the police force.
The matter came to the fore when a bail petition in a drug smuggling case reached the High Court. Despite 11 hearings, not a single government witness had appeared. Consequently, the court had to issue a non-bailable warrant for the government witness.
During today's hearing, the court expressed concern that a government witness, who is a police employee, had not appeared to testify for years. This raised suspicions of collusion between the drug mafia and the police.
The court stated, "The government should first manage its own affairs. Now the government should set a time frame for taking action. Orders have been issued for the last two years." It emphasised that Punjab is a border state and particularly sensitive, yet both the government and the police had failed, eroding the trust of the entire nation.
Not a single government witness had appeared in court for two years in this particular case, which led to the court's strong condemnation. The accused in the case, a resident of Muktsar, had been arrested in September 2020. Following the presentation of the charge sheet in 2021, only one of the 20 witnesses, all of whom are police employees, had testified. Seeking bail from the High Court, the accused found themselves under scrutiny, prompting the court to summon the DGP of Punjab, the Home Secretary, and the SSP of Muktsar to appear before the High Court and provide their response.
The High Court raised questions about why officers hesitated to appear in court. It suspected that drug smugglers obtained bail due to prolonged detentions, discouraging police officers from testifying. The court suggested that the non-appearance of government witnesses had likely been encouraged by their superiors.
In response to the escalating number of cases where trials are hindered due to the absence of government witnesses, the High Court insisted that the government take decisive action and reorganize the police.
Reported by Preet Mehta
- PTC NEWS
