Report on drugs to see light of day after over 2 yrs delay: Sidhu
Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Oct, 2021 11:29 AM
Chandigarh, Oct 5 (IANS) With a new special bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to start hearing in the multi-crore drug racket case concerning Punjab on Tuesday, Congress leader Navjot Sidhu said a report by the Special Task Force (STF) on drugs will finally see light of day after two and a half years of delay.
"Today, STF Report on Drugs will finally see light of day after 2.5 yrs of delay in sealed covers, court naming main culprits behind drug trade will be first victory for youth & suffering mothers of Punjab," Sidhu tweeted.
"Hope they are given punishment that acts as a deterrent for generations!!"
The case was assigned to the division bench of Justices A.G. Masih and Ashok Kumar Verma. Earlier, the case was being heard by the bench of Justices Rajan Gupta and Ajay Tewari but the latter recused himself from hearing the case on September 1.
The new bench will take up an application seeking that the high court "may open" a report submitted in a sealed cover.
The application has been filed by advocate Navkiran Singh, pleading that the report contains the response of Punjab on a report submitted by then STF chief Harpreet Sidhu, who was asked by the high court to go through the report submitted by Enforcement Directorate Assistant Director Niranjan Singh.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday announced that they will continue the peaceful protest here and will not obstruct any official day to day activities. He said that farmers across the state will continue the agitation on the lines of ongoing protests at the Delhi borders.
The drug money is allegedly linked with the seizure of 17 kg heroin, which was recovered by the police in Amritsar (Rural) on August 26 after arresting Ranjit Singh, alias Sonu.
The demands included an FIR and strict action against SDM Ayush Sinha, who on August 28 instructed the police to beat the protesting farmers. A video-clip of Sinha ordering the force to smash the farmers' heads had stirred a row after it went viral on social media.
Amid farmers protest in Karnal, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday that the government should avoid confrontation with the farmers and find amicable solution. He said confrontation is not good as farmers have every right to protest peacefully for their demands.
This agreement would set an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Portugal on sending and accepting Indian workers and a Joint Committee will be set up to follow up the implementation of the same.
These internal differences notwithstanding, the Taliban are reaching out to regional/global powers underlining their desire to build "good relations" with the neighbouring countries, especially China which has "always contributed" to the Afghan economy, as well as with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, India and Uzbekistan.
