Report on drugs to see light of day after over 2 yrs delay: Sidhu

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.