Cops fail to forfeit drug peddlers’ assets

LUDHIANA: Though cases of drug peddling are increasing by the day, the lackadaisical attitude of district police towards criminals is evident. In

the past one year, cops have not recommended any case for peddlers’ asset forfeiture.

Sources say under NDPS Act, cops can recommend forfeiture of big smugglers’ property to the Centre. Even immediate family members and close friends of the accused can be trapped within the ambit of this Act. However, police have been lax in its implementation.

In 2008-09, cops did not recommend any case against a peddler despite the fact that they had recently seized huge a consignment of drugs like opium, smack and heroin.

IGP, Jalandhar range, Sanjeev Kalra had written to SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill, asking him to identify the drug lords and write about their property forfeiture. But the district police failed to furnish the information. Irked over this, the IGP wrote again to the SSP on November 9, directing him to ensure that the desired information was submitted to him soon.

Sources said after receiving the reminder, city police officers asked their juniors to prepare the list mentioning names of all such smugglers. Officers of the district police are tightlipped over the matter.

Talking to TOI, SSP Gill said the provision covered only those accused from whom commercial quantity of drugs had been seized.