Supreme Court directs law enforcement agencies to go after international drug syndicates

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the law enforcement agencies to spend their time and energy in chasing the international drug syndicates instead of catching small-time peddlers.

The Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud made these observations while granting bail to an undertrial arrested in Madhya Pradesh under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Representing the State of Madhya Pradesh, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjeet Banerjee vehemently opposed the bail petition, arguing that the accused has already been convicted twice. 

However, the Apex Court took in view the fact that the accused had served five years in jail when the maximum term he could be sentenced to was 10 years. 

The Bench further observed that the opium was not recovered from some car or truck but from the agricultural land of the accused and that he was not found transporting the contraband.

Rejecting the arguments made by the ASG, the Apex Court granted bail to the accused.