VIJAYAWADA: In a major setback to the enforcement of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 27 ganja cases registered in the NTR district have ended in acquittal due to lapses in police investigation and lack of coordination between the police and the court monitoring wing.
NTR district Commissioner of Police (CP) SV Rajashekhar Babu expressed serious concern over the failures, directing officials to closely monitor the trial process and prosecution of NDPS cases to prevent further acquittals. He emphasized that negligence in procedural aspects and poor follow-up during trial were weakening the cases, allowing the accused to walk free.
Upon examining the cases, police identified four factors contributing to the acquittals: lapses in police procedures, the role of kathadars, deposition of mediators, and eyewitness accounts. Out of the 27 cases reviewed, 25 failed to secure a conviction due to procedural lapses, including improper sample collection, non-production of seized ganja, lack of mediator reports, and failure to update e-malakhana registers.
Officials acknowledged that these technical failures significantly impaired the prosecution’s ability to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Improper deposition of eyewitnesses and mediators also contributed to the acquittals.
Senior officers noted that such acquittals could create a sense of impunity among offenders and erode public confidence in law enforcement.
“This trend sends a wrong message to both the public and the accused, suggesting leniency or inefficiency in handling NDPS cases,” a senior official observed. The CP has initiated action against the investigating officers and personnel responsible for the lapses, issuing show-cause notices to the negligent.
The commissioner directed station house officers and investigating officers to strictly adhere to NDPS procedural guidelines, ensure proper documentation of evidence, and maintain transparency in handling seized contraband. He also instructed the court monitoring unit to work closely with investigation teams to ensure effective prosecution and timely case tracking.
NTR district police are planning to conduct training and review sessions to prevent such procedural lapses in the future and strengthen the handling of narcotics-related cases.