99 pc conviction rate in drugs cases Nawanshahr: Cheema

Chairman of the Yudh Nashian Virudh Cabinet Sub-Committee, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, on Thursday said that the rate of conviction in drug cases had increased in the past three years.

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“The rate of conviction was 58 per cent during the previous Congress government. It has now increased to 86 per cent. But we have a bigger goal to reach 100 per cent and ensure that every drug trafficker gets punished by law”, Cheema said. He added that Nawanshahr district stood out in Punjab with an impressive 99 per cent conviction rate. He said not a single defaulter had been granted bail. Out of 46 decided cases, 44 have resulted in convictions.

Cheema revealed that 530 FIRs have been registered in Punjab with 697 individuals getting arrested. The recovered narcotics include 42 kg heroin, 15 kg opium and 41,027 medical drugs which have been seized in the state from March 1 to March 5 under Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign.

The Finance Minister said that various activities including cordon and search of hotspots under the supervision of senior police officials, checking of jails for mobile phones, checking of chemist shops, raids on known smugglers, drug traffickers and couriers are being conducted in the state besides encouraging public participation through meetings with the students in urban and rural schools and colleges and organising sampark meetings under anti-drug campaign.

Cheema directed the authorities to intensify their efforts against the sale of banned drugs, emphasising the crucial role of drug inspectors in this endeavour.