ARE COPS SLACKENING IN DRUG CASES?

In a possible indication of slackening of action in drug-related
cases, there has been a considerable decline in the number of cases
registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act
in the city.

As against 74 cases recorded under the NDPS Act in 2006, only 54 were
registered in 2007. The number of cases registered in the year gone
by is the least in the last three years as 56 cases were registered
in the year 2005.

Sources say that a combination of manpower problem at crime branch's
NDPS cell, which deals with drug-related cases, and overburdened
police stations has resulted in a 'lack of attention' towards these
cases. Opined assistant commissioner of police Anil Bobade: "Heavy
engagements in regular duties like bandobast and anti-crime action
along with maintaining of law and order situation are some reasons
for less cases under NDPS act registered with the help of the local
police station teams."

According to senior officers from city police, the apathy of the
staffers from local police stations in conducting operations against
peddlers also comes from the lengthy and complex procedure involving
in preparing the documents. "Error of margin is almost nil,
especially in terms of weights which has to be accurate to the
minimum milligrams, in NDPS cases. We have to also ensure that the
witnesses do not turn hostile,' said senior police inspector Arun
Tembhre of NDPS cell. "Though we have less manpower but we keep on
following the leads to reach the offenders every time there is a
tip-off," said the senior police inspector.

The NDPS cell's action ensured registering 39 of the 54 cases in
2007, while teams from 20 police stations in the city could muster no
more than 15 cases in the span of the same one year. In the year
2006, local police stations had contributed in getting at least 39
cases registered under NDPS acts. The effort of the local police
stations had even surpassed the effort of the special NDPS cell of
crime branch in the year 2006, which registered 35 cases that year.

In 2006, around 98 persons were charged by the city police under the
NDPS Act but the number was 62 in 2007. Following the slack in the
action, the seizure of the contraband substances made by the city
police also dropped considerably. Against the total seizure of around
549.29 kg of contraband substances worth around Rs 28.51 lakh made by
city police in 2006, cops could only confiscate around 133.84 kg of
contraband costing Rs 19.05 lakh.

Apart from the case of Ganapat Karne, where the special team of crime
branch had seized around 12 kg of charas worth around Rs 20 lakh in
the international market, city police could not lay their hands on
any other 'big fish' in the racket last year. On the contrary, rural
police conducted a number of successful operations in their
jurisdiction last year which also included a massive haul of 3,500 kg
of marijuana (ganja), worth around Rs 1 crore. The contraband was
being transported to the northern India from Andhra Pradesh through Nagpur.

"Recently we have conducted a workshop at police gymkhana on the
various aspects of NDPS acts, especially related to technical and
legal aspects," said Bhushan K Upadhyay, additional commissioner of
police (crime). "Apart from technical and legalities in the cases,
the experts also discussed in detail the techniques of identification
and sampling. We had also invited police stations to send their
staffers to attend the workshop in order to also make them aware and
motivate them," added Upadhyay.