Political interference is leading to the filing of defective chargesheets thereby helping the acquittal of persons involved in drug trafficking, Principal District and Sessions Judge Kadloor Satyanarayanacharya said here recently.
Speaking at the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at Rosario Cultural Hall here, Mr. Satyanarayanacharya said that with political interference, investigating officers are not having a free hand in the investigation of cases against drug traffickers.
“Defective chargesheets are filed. The drug traffickers are getting acquitted. The courts are finding it difficult to come to the rescue of society,” said Mr. Satyanarayanacharya, who is also the Special Judge for the Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The judge said it was difficult for him to deal with personalities brought before him in the NDPS Act cases. “These are highly educated, double graduates, engineers and MBA degree holders. Some have two children in their house and they are not worried about supplying drugs to students,” he said and added that the accused were all trying to earn a quick buck.
Every educational institution in the city, he said, has to deal with drug menace that is ruining families of drug consumers and drug peddlers.
“The city has virtually become a victim of circumstances. It is necessary to reach out to drug peddlers and bring them to main stream of the society,” he said.
The judge put the onus on investigation agencies and asked them to keep a close watch on movements of drug peddlers who have been acquitted.
“It’s not too late. Identify whether they have joined the mainstream or have gone back to drug peddling.” Unless this is done, he said, it will be a futile exercise to organise awareness programmes on drug abuse.