The Chandigarh Administration and the Chandigarh Police are all set to implement groundbreaking provisions of NDPS Act aimed at disrupting and dismantling the drug trafficking network in the city. Objective is to encourage drug peddlers to cooperate and provide comprehensive and crucial information about the drug warlords.
In this regard, a meeting was held today in Sector-9 Chandigarh Secretariat, under the Chairmanship of Sh. Rajeev Verma, Adviser to Administrator, UT Chandigarh to ensure compliance of the directions passed by the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in case no. IOIN-CRA-D-1218-2022 regarding the implementation of provisions of NDPS Act. It will ensure a proactive approach to combat drug trafficking in the city.
Respective departments including the Police, Finance, Health, Social Welfare and Public Relations were directed to take necessary action pertaining to their departments and send the action taken report in coordination with the DGP, UT Chandigarh.
It is for information of the general public that under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, Section 27, the consumption of any narcotic drug including cocaine, morphine, diacetylmorphine or any other narcotic drug or any psychotropic substance is a punishable offence with rigorous imprisonment or fine or both.
The aim of the administration is more towards reform than to punish. The Objective is to encourage drug peddlers to cooperate and provide comprehensive and crucial information about the drug warlords. To effectively combat drug trafficking, it's essential to address the deterrents created by drug warlords vis-a-vis their employed peddlers.
Therefore, under the NDPS Act, Section 64 A, there is a provision of immunity from prosecution to addicts volunteering for treatment. Any addict, who is charged with an offence punishable under section 27 of NDPS Act, or with offences involving small quantity of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, who voluntarily seeks to undergo medical treatment for de-addiction from a hospital or an institution maintained or recognised by the Government or a local authority and undergoes such treatment shall not be liable to prosecution for offences involving small quantity of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
There is also a provision of conditional immunity from prosecution u/s 64 NDPS Act, provided a full and true disclosure of the whole circumstances relating to such contravention be made by the person. Therefore, the Chandigarh Police made an appeal to drug peddlers who have been forced to become part of this network and want to come out of this menace to come forward to reveal true and complete information on the drug warlords and drug network.
Present during the meeting were Sh. Raj Kumar Singh, IGP, Sh. Ajay Chagti, Secretary Health, Sh. Vinay Partap Singh, District Magistrate, Sh. Abhijit Vijay Choudhary, Secretary Education, Smt. Hargunjit Kaur, Secretary Finance, Smt. Anuradha Chagti, Secretary Social Welfare, and other officials of Chandigarh Administration.