Congress seeks HC-monitored probe in cases of drug haul in Gujarat

Due to the lack of adequate security, Gujarats coast has become a haven for drug mafia, the memorandum said.It further alleged that corrupt practices of the BJP dispensation has helped drug mafias in expanding their network in Gujarat.Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, had refuted these charges claiming that the seizure of such a large quantity of drugs proves that the police and other agencies are doing their work with commitment, as the contraband was unearthed before it reached the masses.

Alleging laxity in the ongoing probe into seizure of drugs at various places in Gujarat, the Congress on Monday demanded setting up of an inquiry commission under a sitting High Court judge to investigate these cases, including the seizure of 2,988 kg of heroin at the Mundra port.

A delegation led by Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Paresh Dhanani, has called on Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar and handed him a memorandum seeking his intervention to forming the inquiry commission.

Congress leaders have alleged that though heroin and other contraband worth thousands of crores have been seized from different parts of Gujarat in recent months, the BJP government was not taking any ''concrete action'' against the entire racket as those in the government are ''hand in glove'' with the perpetrators.

In the memorandum, the opposition party cited the seizure of nearly 3,000 kg of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore at the Mundra port in September, followed by the recovery of heroin and meth worth over Rs 1,000 crore by the Gujarat police and the ATS this month.

Congress demanded strict action to ''control the drugs network'' to save the next generation, claiming that drugs are being sold ''openly'' on college campuses across Gujarat. Though the drugs are being dumped in Gujarat through the sea route with the help of foreign nationals, the coastal security has been left ''to the mercy of God'', Congress said.

''Gujarat's coastline is 1,640 km long and has 144 small islands near it. More importantly, our shores are close to Pakistan. Despite that, there are only 22 marine police stations and three interceptor boats to guard this vast coastline. Due to the lack of adequate security, Gujarat's coast has become a haven for drug mafia,'' the memorandum said.

It further alleged that ''corrupt practices'' of the BJP dispensation has helped drug mafias in expanding their network in Gujarat.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, had refuted these charges claiming that the seizure of such a large quantity of drugs proves that the police and other agencies are doing their work with commitment, as the contraband was unearthed before it reached the masses.

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