punjab-hc-seeks-level-review-of-police-recruitment-process

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a top-level review in the selection and recruitment of police and manpower amid delays witnessed in NDPS cases. The lack of manpower and police personnel is hampering the process of conviction in NDPS cases in the state.

 

The direction came following a meeting of Justice Sanjay Vashisth with senior Punjab government officials, during which the court was informed about the shortage of police personnel, followed by the mushrooming of NDPS cases piling up in the state.

 

It was found that the lack of manpower remains a root cause of the ongoing and persistent delays in the trials.

 

The Bench was hearing a bail matter arising out of a 2023 heroin recovery case, in which the court had earlier expressed concern over the repeated non-appearance of official witnesses in drug cases and sought an explanation from the Punjab government.

 

With regard to the matter, the court ordered a detailed and top-level review of the recruitment of police and manpower in the Punjab Police and directed the government to maintain adequate personnel for the smooth conduct of NDPS trials.

 

The case has its genesis in an FIR registered on August 9, 2023, at the Lopoke police station in Amritsar, under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

 

According to the prosecution, 12.400 kilograms of heroin were recovered from a vehicle allegedly being driven by the accused.

 

“The Court, while exercising its inherent jurisdiction, cannot ignore that the Punjab Government has spread out an impression of 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' (War Against Drugs) with regard to the drug menace and it has been ensured to a common man in the State by developing an impression that the situation would be brought back to normalcy.

 

But this Court experiences almost on a daily basis that Courts, including the High Court, are constrained to release accused on bail in many serious NDPS cases because of the non-appearance of official witnesses, especially from the Police Department,” the Bench observed.

 

Also read: CM Mann hails Punjab’s education revolution