5 months ago
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Nagpur, Dec 8 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state government has started a very important fight against drugs trade and warned that police personnel found involved in narcotics cases will face dismissal from service and not just suspension.
Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said in the legislative council that three police personnel have been dismissed in connection with the escape of drug kingpin Lalit Patil from a state government-run hospital in Pune in early October.
Patil was arrested from near Bengaluru a few days later.
MLC Aniket Tatkare (NCP-Ajit Pawar group), in a calling attention motion, expressed concern over the discovery of a huge amount of drugs from a non-operational chemical unit in Raigad district.
He also referred to the recovery of plastic packets containing charas along the Raigad coast a few months ago and asked the government to take action in the matter.
An official said on Friday police have seized mephedrone worth more than Rs 106 crore during a raid at a chemical company near Khalapur in Raigad district, located adjoining Mumbai, and apprehended three persons for allegedly manufacturing the banned substance at the facility.
Fadnavis, replying to the calling attention motion, told the house that sometime back Union Home Minister Amit Shah had presided over a meeting of state home ministers and DGPs to discuss ways to curb drugs trade.
It was decided in the meeting to step up intelligence sharing between various central and state agencies in a bid to further tighten the noose on drugs trade, said the deputy CM.
As a follow-up action after the meeting, the Maharashtra government called a crime control conference where it asked all police units to work on priority to crack down on drugs menace, he said.
Fadnavis lauded the Raigad police for its intelligence-based action against the chemical facility where mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, was being manufactured.
He said police were searching other closed factories in various parts of the state where movements of people have been noticed.
It has come to the notice of authorities that curated drugs are being produced very easily, said the minister.
“The Maharashtra police have started a very important fight against drugs trade. It will be a long-drawn battle,” Fadnavis maintained.
“I have taken a decision to not just suspend, but dismiss (police officials) under (Article) 311 (of the Constitution) if they are found involved in drugs cases,” he asserted.
Article 311 pertains to the dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Centre or a state. PTI CLS RSY
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
