Punjab narcotics situation 'alarming', go after the 'big fish', SC directs state

The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Punjab government for not catching the ‘big sharks’ in drug trafficking, observing that the increase in NDPS cases in the state is “alarming” and the police should revisit its strategy to tackle it as the situation is getting out of hand.

- Abraham Thomas

The court was dealing with a suo motu petition to set up exclusive courts for trial of cases under special laws such as National Investigation Agency Act (NIA), Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) among others.

‘As advocate generals of all states were present during the hearing either physically or virtually, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi pointed to Maninderjeet Singh Bedi, advocate general for Punjab and said, “The increase in NDPS cases in your state is alarming. What is the state