Drugs menace has acquired dimension of an epidemic: HC
The woman petitioner, Maya, accused of being part of an alleged cartel involved in transporting 150 kg ganja from Orissa to Punjab and Haryana, had claimed that she was falsely implicated on the basis of a statement from other co-accused persons, wherein her son has also been shown to be involved
Dismissing the anticipatory bail plea of a woman from Haryana, the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) observed that the drug trafficking, trading and its use has acquired dimensions of an “epidemic” that not only affects the economic policies, but corrupts the system and results in a “sick society”.
“It has to be borne in mind that in a murder case the accused commits murder of one or two persons, while those persons who are dealing in a narcotic drugs are instrumental in causing death or inflicting death blow to a number of innocent young victims, who are vulnerable; it causes deleterious effects and a deadly impact on the society; they are a hazard to the society; even if they are released temporarily, in all probability, they would continue their nefarious activities of trafficking and/or dealing in intoxicants clandestinely obviously for large stake and easy illegal profit making mode,” the bench of justice Sandeep Moudgil observed, dismissing plea from a Hissar woman.
The woman petitioner, Maya, accused of being part of an alleged cartel involved in transporting 150 kg ganja from Orissa to Punjab and Haryana, had claimed that she was falsely implicated on the basis of a statement from other co-accused persons, wherein her son has also been shown to be involved.
Police had claimed that contraband was smuggled from Orissa under the pretext of a pilgrimage to Jaganathpuri and there is “sufficient link evidence” connecting her and custodial interrogation was required.
The bench remarked that the drug menace in Punjab and Haryana is writ large and large numbers of youth are falling prey at the hands of such mafia. It also added that her role did not appear to be that of a law abiding citizen.
“In the present prevailing scenario, the drug trafficking, trading and its use has acquired dimensions of an epidemic which not only affects the economic policies of the state but corrupts the system apart from leaving the impact of producing a sick society. I will not be shy of saying that anti-drug justice is a criminal dimension of social justice as drug addiction forms vitals of the society alongwith illicit money generation by drug trafficking,” the court further remarked, adding that there is no material evidence to establish her innocence and no occasion had arisen to grant her interim bail.
