The remarks were made during the hearing of a bail petition filed by a man accused of smuggling 500 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan to India.
NEW DELHI: On December 16, the Supreme Court expressed concern over the growing issue of illicit drug trade and substance abuse in India.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh emphasized the need for rehabilitation of affected youth rather than demonizing them. The bench noted that drug abuse should not be stigmatized, and instead, open discussions are essential to address the problem.
“We are deeply concerned about substance abuse in India. The profits from this trade are being used to fund terrorism, leading to violence. Factors such as academic pressure and family issues also contribute to this problem, resulting in long-term social and economic instability. Peer pressure, academic stress, and the easy availability of drugs are key triggers, with adolescents often turning to them as a form of emotional escape,”
the bench stated.
“The youth should not emulate those who engage in drug abuse. Victims of substance abuse are not confined to the underprivileged but span across all economic levels. Rather than demonizing those affected, we should focus on rehabilitating them and helping them become productive members of society,”
it added.
The remarks were made during the hearing of a bail petition filed by a man accused of smuggling 500 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan to India.
The National Investigation Agency’s probe uncovered that a cross-border organized crime syndicate was involved in smuggling a significant quantity of heroin, approximately 500 kilograms, from Pakistan into India via the sea route, with the shipment entering Gujarat. This operation, masterminded by Pakistani nationals, saw the drugs being transported to Punjab for distribution.
The NIA further alleged that the accused was a key associate of a wanted individual, against whom charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act had been filed, and was responsible for overseeing a drug cartel in Punjab while also managing financial dealings through the Hawala system.
Background
The Court made these remarks while refusing to interfere with the NIA’s investigation into Ankush Vipan Kapoor and denying his bail request.
The case originated from an FIR filed on January 29, 2020, against Sukhbir Singh @ Happy, who was allegedly involved in the illegal trade of weapons and heroin. Singh was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) in Mohali, where 5.690 kg of heroin and a revolver were seized.
During questioning, Singh revealed that the car he was using belonged to Ankush Vipan Kapoor, leading to Kapoor’s arrest on the same day. From Kapoor’s property, authorities recovered 3.250 kg of heroin and various chemicals.
A second FIR was filed on January 31, 2020, based on information that Kapoor and his associates had stored a large quantity of heroin in Amritsar.
Further investigations led to the seizure of significant narcotics, including 188 kg of Dextromethorphan Powder, 25 kg of Caffeine, and other chemicals from Kapoor’s premises.
Kapoor was granted bail in both FIRs by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The case was later transferred to the NIA, which re-registered it due to the gravity of the matter. The NIA conducted further investigations, uncovering a larger conspiracy involving the smuggling of 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan to India.
The NIA claimed that Kapoor was linked to a narco-terrorist syndicate led by Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, who was orchestrating the drug operations. Kapoor was accused of being involved in the purification and preparation of heroin, procuring chemicals for this purpose, and managing the drug syndicate’s operations in Amritsar.
Subsequently, the NIA filed a petition in the High Court seeking the cancellation of Kapoor’s bail, citing new evidence that necessitated a review of his release due to the seriousness of the charges and his continued involvement in criminal activities.
On January 29 of this year, the High Court revoked Kapoor’s bail.
Dissatisfied, Kapoor approached the Supreme Court, which dismissed his petition today.
Case Title: Ankush Vipan Kapoor v. National Investigation Agency, SLP(Crl) No. 2819/2024
