Supreme Court takes note of letter on drug mafia network in country, seeks Centre's reply

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday sought a response from the Centre after taking cognizance of a letter it has received alleging the menace of drug mafia network operating in the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said a letter was written to the then CJI N V Ramana, who on November 17 last year, directed that it be converted into a suo motu case titled: "The Menace of Drug Mafia Network Operating in The Country".

The bench, also comprising justices S Ravindra Bhat and J B Pardiwala, appointed lawyer Shoeb Alam as an amicus curiae to assist it and gave him the liberty to take the assistance of an advocate-on-record (AoR) of his choice.

"The office note put up before the Chief Justice on November 17, 2021, has been converted under the directions of the Chief Justice in a suo motu Writ Petition. Considering the gravity of the situation and the material placed before this court, we have requested Shoab Alam to assist the court as amicus curiae, an offer which he has graciously accepted."

"At this stage, we issue notice to the Union Government. We also issue a notice to Aishwarya Bhati, the Additional Solicitor General," it said in the order.

The bench has now posted the matter for hearing on October 18.