SC pondering on victim tag to drug users
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 20 2024: Considering the Special Leave Petition (Criminal) filed by The 3.5 Collective challenging acquittal of Moreh Autonomous District Council former chairperson Lukhosai Zou and others by a Special NDPS Court as well as the High Court of Manipur, Supreme Court of India (SC) is perusing whether those who suffered loss due to the drug menace would be considered victims of the crime of drug trafficking.

If considered a victim of the crime they will have the right to appeal against the acquittal of drug traffickers even if the government fails to do so.

Informing this in a release, The 3.5 Collective convenor Babloo Loitongbam stated that Supreme Court on Tuesday listed the petition in Court no 17, as item no.30 by a bench consisting of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and PB Varale.

The 3.5 Collective is challenging the acquittal of Lukhosai Zou and others by the Special NDPS Court as well as the High Court of Manipur's judgment denying The 3.5 Collective, particularly members who had suffered due to prevalence of drug trafficking in the region, i.e., recovering addicts and family members of the recovered addicts; to file an appeal against the judgment of the NDPS Court, Babloo said.

The counsel of Manipur government pointed out that appeal against the acquittal order has already been filed in the Manipur High Court and hearing will start from March 2024, he conveyed, while stating that The 3.5 Collective counsels insisted on allowing the petitioners to file the appeal in the High Court as a matter of right in view of them being victims under the law, of drug trafficking and being personally aggrieved by the same.

The government of Manipur objected to granting such permission to the petitioners and sought permission from the court to submit their response to the same.

They also want that the other respondents to be served notice to which the court granted four weeks' time to the government of Manipur to respond to the prayer of the petitioners to be treated as victims of the offence and to file their appeal against the acquittal of Lukhosai Zou and others before the High Court of Manipur.

The case will be listed for hearing in six weeks, Babloo added.

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