MADURAI: Taking note of the large scale prevalence of drugs in the society and its different forms being made available even to school children, the Ist Additional Special Court for NDPS Act Cases in Madurai directed the inspector general of police (IGP), south zone, to take immediate steps to train all the officers above the rank of head constables about the nuances of drug trafficking and trade.
Additional District Judge AS Hariharakumar, while acquitting seven accused persons in a heroin smuggling and possession case citing lapses in following the mandatory procedure prescribed in the Act, said that the training would enlighten the policemen about drug trafficking and aid in the detection of such crimes.
The judge also directed the IGP to initiate appropriate action against the police officials, who were in charge of the investigation, and take appropriate action, if necessary, against the supervisory authorities for their failure in exercising proper supervisory powers, monitoring the investigation process and trial, and file a report before the court in this regard.
According to the prosecution, seven persons namely M Marimuthu, M Ansar Ali, S Imran Khan, S Kasali Maraikkayar, S Anthony Muthu, R Premsingh and G Balamurugan were arrested in connection with the case over illegal possession of heroin worth several crores in 2021. The case was initially investigated by the Central Thoothukudi police and later taken over by the NIBCID Thoothukudi.
Judge Hariharakumar said that the case and its investigation were handled in a clumsy manner, and slammed the failure of the supervisory authorities as there were fundamental errors in the probe process. Stating that it reflected the lack of knowledge and understanding about the NDPS Act, he added, "The Narcotics Control Bureau of Cochin Sub Zone applied before the court to take custody of the accused as the symbol seized in the case matched with their cases in which AK47 rifles, ammunition and contraband were seized. Both the Thoothukudi police and NIBCID had not taken the case seriously."
Further the court said no one was inclined to produce evidence and prove the seizure and sample. The entire prosecution case could not have been as it was projected before the court. They have also not probed how and from whom and where the accused got possession of such a huge quantity of contraband, the court noted.