DESAM, KIMACS urge Govt to hand over drug case to CBI
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2020: The Democratic Student's Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has urged the State Government and department concerned to hand over the drug haul case involving former ADC, Chandel Chairman, Lukhosei Zou to CBI to win public trust.

In a statement issued by the student body, it claimed that drugs are no longer imported only in the State but also started producing it.

Though the State Government had launched a War on Drug campaign, unchecked smuggling of narcotic items continue in Manipur, it said adding that involvement of politicians and high ranking officials in this lucrative yet illegal business cannot be ruled out.

Claiming that the future of the State looks grim as many of the youth have fallen prey to drug abuse today, the student body asked if the incumbent Government is true and honest in their fight against drug menace.

If this trend continues and drug lords are protected by people in power, the public will completely lost their faith in this ruling Government, DESAM said.

The best strategy to prevent drug abuse and addiction by the youth in the State today is to strengthen supply reduction measure, it said and added if the supply reduces, then demand too will automatically shrink.

DESAM then asked the State Government to punish all those arrested in drug related cases as per the law of land to win this war against drugs.

Meanwhile, the Kanglei Indigenous Martial Arts & Cultural Society (KIMACS) has urged the State Government to assign/transfer the drug case of ex-ADC Chandel, Lukhosei Zou to the neutral investigating CBI, as there are open statements of involvement of powerful people including politicians and law enforcing agencies in the case, stated KIMACS in a press release issued today.

The cultural organisation casted apprehensions if the State Government who have openly declared a "War against drugs" policy is also engaging in a free drug policy on another side.

The arrests of various people along with seizure of drugs and other contrabands on regular basis, continued plantation of poppy plants in hilly areas, busting of various manufacturing units within the state, etc are all signs that the drug business continue to thrive even today.

The conviction of people involved with the drug cartel are few and there are also no significant examples of stringent punishments meted against the perpetrators, but only weak criminals with few power connections are punished, it added.

Drug lords have corrupted politicians, law enforcement agencies and some civil organisations on their side and KIMACS and the public would not accept discouraging of honest and brave officials for their efforts against drugs, the cultural society further added.

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