Bhola drugs case: HC likely to pass order on Nov 18 on opening of sealed cover reports

One set of reports is on the role of influential persons in drugs trafficking submitted in 2017-2018 by the state Special Investigating Team (SIT), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a government panel

Chandigarh The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday said it would examine sealed cover reports pertaining to Punjab’s drug menace by the next date of hearing on November 18. After Tuesday’s hearing, Punjab advocate general APS Deol said the court has directed the registrar judicial to produce these status reports in sealed cover in chamber and observed that it will examine these reports prior to the next date of hearing.

The HC will examine sealed cover reports pertaining to Punjab’s drug menace by the next date of hearing on November 18. Punjab advocate general APS Deol had requested that the status reports filed in the court in 2018 be taken up on priority basis. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The bench of justice AG Masih and justice AK Verma also observed, orally, that the court was conscious of the fact that the matter had been pending adjudication without any effective order being passed since May 23, 2018 and, therefore, the court does not want to give an impression that it was sitting on the matter, Deol added.

Earlier, Deol had requested that the status reports filed in the court in 2018 be taken up on priority basis and after examining the same, an order be passed to enable the prosecuting agency to proceed as per law.

The court was dealing with two applications seeking the opening of some sealed cover reports on Punjab’s drugs menace. One set of reports is on the role of influential persons in drugs trafficking submitted in 2017-2018 by the state Special Investigating Team (SIT), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a government panel.

The second set of reports is of a panel headed by IPS officer S Chattopadhyaya on the “role” of police officers. One of the two reports in the latter’s case was singularly signed by Chattopadhyaya, but not by two other officers on the panel.

Additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain is also to submit status reports on the progress in the extradition of certain accused wanted in the drugs cases as well as the latest report by the ED and other central agencies by November 15.