HYDERABAD: Despite strong rhetoric from governments about combating the drug menace, the actions on the ground appear insufficient to match the promises. Data from the Excise department reveals a dismal conviction rate in drug-related cases. Over the past decade, 5,034 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act but only 44 resulted in convictions —which is just 0.87%.
An official attributed this low rate to investigation loopholes and procedural lapses. “The department is often viewed as a revenue-generating body rather than focusing on its primary role,” he said.
Prohibition and Excise (Enforcement) Director Kamalasan Reddy acknowledged shortcomings in handling NDPS cases. “We identified areas where mistakes were being made in proving cases in court. To address this, we have conducted specialised training programmes for our personnel through various institutions, including the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB),” he told TNIE.
Data indicates that 2,443 police personnel were trained with the TGANB, 60 with the Telangana State Police Academy (TGPA), and 20 with the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN).
However, legal experts point out persistent procedural violations by enforcement officers. High Court advocate Gopala Krishna Gokhale said that police often fail to adhere to mandatory provisions under the NDPS Act.
“For instance, samples of seized drugs must be drawn at the spot with permission from a magistrate. Yet, in some cases, officers collect samples without court authorisation, violating legal protocols. Such procedural errors often result in cases being dismissed in court,” he explained.