The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Government to suggest “ways and means” to ensure prevention of offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after being informed that as many as 82 FIRs were registered under the statute in a single police station during less than a year.
The direction by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry came during the hearing of a suo motu case initiated by the High Court on the basis of a report by The Tribune “Heroin openly sold here’: Bathinda villagers paint message for admin”.
As the matter came up for resumed hearing, the Bench observed that the status report filed by the Senior Superintendent of Police through an affidavit dated December 16, 2025, disclosed that 82 FIRs under the NDPS Act were registered at Maur police station between January 1 and December 1, 2025.
Taking note of the submissions, the Bench asserted it was “not known as to whether investigation has been completed pursuant to the said FIRs”. The court also noted that a “huge quantity of narcotic drugs” had been seized in the cases.
“The State of Punjab is directed to file an affidavit disclosing that investigation in those 82 FIRs, emanating from Police Station Maur, is at which stage? The State should also suggest ways and means to ensure prevention of commission of such offences punishable under the NDPS Act, 1985,” the Bench added.
The matter has been listed for May 25.
Taking suo motu cognisance of The Tribune report, the Bench in December last year had sought a detailed affidavit from the state on the issue. Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, heading the Bench, had also issued notice of motion to Punjab after perusing the news item. The Bench directed the state to place on record the affidavit specifying the action taken to prevent the sale of the contraband in the village.
The report, published in The Tribune, had highlighted how villagers, frustrated with the alleged unchecked sale of narcotics and the recent death of a youth from suspected overdose, painted messages on walls pointing at the houses of purported drug dealers—after which the police rushed to erase the writings.
The Court had asked Punjab to detail its immediate response, ongoing steps for ensuring effective policing, and measures proposed to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
