Undertake Campaign Against Drugs: Tripura HC Directs Family Members Of NDPS Accused While Adjourning Their Bail Plea

Petitioner’s husband and one other had filed bail applications accused under the NDPS Act for allegedly possessing heroin.

A bench of Justice Arindam Lodh expressed concerns about the gravity of drug-related offenses, especially among young individuals like the accused, emphasizing the societal impact and labeling drug trafficking as a curse affecting future generations.

Instead of immediate bail, the Court directed a one-month postponement of the bail application. The Court added, “In this situation, in my opinion, the instant bail application may be kept pending for a month. In the meantime, I direct the parents and other family members of the accused persons, namely, Jibanjoy Tripura and Selenjoy Tripura to start campaign against trading and use of drugs in their own areas/villages and the place wherefrom they hail against the use, consumption and trading of illicit and contraband goods. The family members may hold meetings with both the elderly and young people of the villages and their family members to prevent the use of drugs and trading of the same within their villages. They are to undertake the campaign at least for a month.”

Advocate Subrata Sarkar appeared for the Petitioner and Advocate S. Ghosh appeared for the Respondent.

The Court said, “Both the accused persons are very young and at this age, they have involved themselves in drug-peddling, which will not only spoil their life and career but also will have a tremendous adverse affect to the generations to come as it is a curse to the entire society. Entire young generation is going to be affected due to such kind of illegal drug-peddling. It is witnessed that everyday there are so many instances of seizure of illicit and contraband drugs and arrests thereof.”

The Court remarked that, “Tripura has become a gateway and a safe corridor of trading such kind of illicit drugs.”

Furthermore, the Court ordered those copies of its directive be sent to relevant officials for compliance and scheduled the bail application to be reconsidered on August 05, 2024.

The Court also deemed the court's order suitable for publication in newspapers to raise public awareness about the consequences of drug trafficking.

Cause Title: Mona Tripura v. The State of Tripura

Appearance:

Petitioner: Advocates Subrata Sarkar, Ayesha Saha Hirawat