SHILLONG, MAY 27: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has requested the intervention of the Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang into the problem of drug menace in the state.

Submitting a memorandum to Nongrang on Monday, the HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said the police department should strengthen the drug supply reduction strategy.

“We would like to suggest that the Police Department should adopt a proper and more stringent strategy to reduce the supply of drugs into the State. We would also like to suggest that the State Police, the Border Security Force and the Custom & Central Excise should conduct joint operations and share information on drugs by pooling in resources to effectively tackle the menace of drugs in the State as frequently as possible and also rope in the Village authorities in this effort. Regular checking should be conducted more frequently at the entry points to the State,” he said.

Synrem said that the NDPS Act, 1985 provides for stringent provisions for offences related to drugs abuse and trafficking. Despite the fact that major offences under the Act are non-bailable, it has been observed that in several cases the drug offenders secure acquittal on technical grounds. A large number of offenders in NDPS cases are acquitted due to non-compliance of mandatory provisions and the prescribed procedure.

“The acquittals in serious offences particularly in NDPS cases create a sense of insecurity in the society and undermine the faith of the common man in the administration of criminal justice system. Hence, it is incumbent upon the Investigating Agencies/Prosecutors to be well-versed in the compliances of mandatory provisions and the prescribed procedures and to discharge their assigned duties in a professional manner in order to achieve the desired objective of the law,” he said adding “Therefore, to accomplish the purpose and objective of the Act and to ensure conviction of Offenders in NDPS cases, the enforcement agencies of the State are expected to know and adhere the provisions of the Act during investigation stage and also ensuring vigorous follow up during the prosecution stage.”

Also emphasizing the need to create awareness on the provision of receiving stolen property, the HYC president said, “Section 317 of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Repealing the Indian Penal Code, 1860), which shall come into force on 1st July, 2024 provides for the provisions relating ‘receiving or retaining’ any stolen property. During our interactions with the ‘drug users’ as well as their family members, we have come across many cases where the users in order to get money for buying drugs are forced to commit theft even from their homes or family members. These stolen Properties are then sold at take away prices to some persons.”

“So in order to create awareness about this particular provision of Law and to create a deterrent effect so as selling and buying of stolen properties, especially by drugs users, are not easy, we urged upon you to take necessary steps to inform the public about this Provision and the consequences of violating the same,” he added

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