Punjab: HC seeks state’s response on ‘unlawful’ demolition of drug peddlers’ properties
The PIL, filed by the People Welfare Society, an NGO based in Mohali, seeks to implement the Supreme Court (SC) guidelines against bulldozer action
The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a notice to the Punjab government on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state’s move to demolish properties belonging to alleged drug peddlers.
The PIL, filed by the People Welfare Society, an NGO based in Mohali, seeks to implement the Supreme Court (SC) guidelines against bulldozer action and provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. This plea comes in the wake of reported demolition of properties belonging to drug peddlers in Punjab.
“… there is no provision regarding the razing of properties belonging to the accused in drug peddling cases, and the NDPS Act provides only for the forfeiture and attachment of such properties,” the plea argues.
It referred to the news reports in which it was highlighted that the state police have been demolishing properties owned by alleged drug dealers as part of its crackdown against the drugs. It also mentioned some properties identified by the police in Ludhiana for demolition.
The PIL stressed that the apex court has issued guidelines to prevent arbitrary demolition of residential and commercial structures solely on the ground that owner of the said property is being probed in a crime.
A detailed order from the court is awaited, with the Punjab government told to respond to the PIL by March 25.
