Lamenting that drugs menace in Punjab is eating the basic structure of the society, the Punjab and Haryana high court has asserted that harsh steps are required to get over this “dark period”.
“Daily one youth after the other is succumbing to drugs. Unless harsh steps are taken, there is no ray of hope to the society that this dark period would be over,” the bench of justice Gurbir Singh observed in a bail matter in an NDPS case. The court reiterated that the menace of drugs in Punjab was eating the basic social structure of the society. “It is adversely affecting the economy of the state. Despite harsh laws, the State is not able to check the flow of drugs to this part of the country,” the bench remarked.
The observation came during the plea from one Harnoor Singh from Rajasthan , who was booked in a drugs case on March 9, 2022 in Hoshiarpur. While the police had claimed that 10 kg opium was recovered from the car of the petitioner, his family had alleged that he was abducted by cops.
The court observed that the petitioner is resident of Kota, Rajasthan and the case is registered in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, a far away place. There is nothing on record that the Hoshiarpur police was inimical towards the petitioner or his family, the court said adding that from analysis of the various facts brought to fore in the probe it cannot be said at this stage that the petitioner is not guilty, for keeping in his possession 10 kg opium. “The purpose of trial is to separate the chaff from the grain and to bring truth on record. It can only be done after recording evidence of the parties and giving opportunity to respective parties to cross-examine the witnesses of other party,” it said dismissing the plea and leaving appreciation of evidence to the trial court. It was not a fit case to grant the concession of bail the accused, it added.
{{/usCountry}}The court observed that the petitioner is resident of Kota, Rajasthan and the case is registered in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, a far away place. There is nothing on record that the Hoshiarpur police was inimical towards the petitioner or his family, the court said adding that from analysis of the various facts brought to fore in the probe it cannot be said at this stage that the petitioner is not guilty, for keeping in his possession 10 kg opium. “The purpose of trial is to separate the chaff from the grain and to bring truth on record. It can only be done after recording evidence of the parties and giving opportunity to respective parties to cross-examine the witnesses of other party,” it said dismissing the plea and leaving appreciation of evidence to the trial court. It was not a fit case to grant the concession of bail the accused, it added.
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