KOCHI: Drug peddlers and their financiers in the state will no longer have a free run. For the state police is preparing to keep those involved in narcotics cases in preventive detention for as long as 12 months, a top police officer told TNIE. Currently, preventive detention is enforced only under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). Though the police can enforce preventive detention under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, 1988, they have not done it till now, said a source.
According to the plan under consideration, the police will start enforcing the unused PITNDPS provisions and put drug offenders and their financiers behind bars for up to a year. The police department decided to implement the act after a spurt in the number of cases involving illegal trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances. It is learnt the district police chiefs submitted a proposal to DGP Anil Kant who in turn forwarded it to the additional secretary of home affairs — the state’s detaining authority. “It has been found that goons or anti-social elements are involved in the distribution, transportation and collection of NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases from various sources. Despite the fact that they were arrested under the NDPS Act, they roam around after the jail term doing the same job,” said the police officer, requesting anonymity.
“To put an end to this, we have submitted to the state police chief a proposal to initiate detention proceedings under the PITNDPS Act. This will aid in the elimination of drug traffickers in the state. We hope that the proposal will be considered by the government soon,” the officer added. According to sources, the DGP has sent nearly 20 cases for the state government’s consideration, seeking to invoke the PITNDPS Act against drug peddlers. City Police Commissioner C H Nagaraju said: “We’ve initiated the process to detain drug peddlers under the PITNDPS Act. If this is implemented, the offenders will be jailed for a year. Under KAAPA, the detaining authority is district collector. Under PITNDPS, the detaining authority is an officer not below the rank of government joint secretary