Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab DGP to issue necessary instructions to all SSPs to monitor the progress of investigations in drug-related cases.
The Court also demanded details of cases where the accused have not been arrested for over six months.
Justice N.S. Shekhawat further ordered that any accused not arrested within a reasonable period should be promptly declared proclaimed offenders (PO), and their properties should be attached.
These directions are significant as 97 accused individuals have not been arrested for over six months in 83 criminal cases registered under the NDPS Act in Bathinda district alone.
"The DGP, Punjab, is directed to file an affidavit listing all cases registered under the provisions of the NDPS Act in all police stations across Punjab, where the accused have not been arrested even after more than six months. The affidavit should also specify whether such accused have been declared proclaimed offenders," Justice Shekhawat stated.