State exploring if conviction age in drug peddling cases can be reduced to 16: Fadnavis
Replying to a calling-attention motion on the issue of drug peddling in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said his government would consult with the Centre to check if existing laws can be amended to plug loopholes that allow children to be used in drug peddling. He added that the government is also chalking out a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the deportation of foreign nationals involved in the crime.
The matter was raised in the assembly by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Bandra East, Varun Sardesai, who claimed there was rampant drug peddling and cartelisation in areas such as Behrampada, Golibar Road and Bharat Nagar. He alleged that Nigerian nationals are largely engaged in drug peddling, and the police do not even dare to attempt to act against them due to the dense population in slums. Sardesai also claimed that the peddlers engage minors aged 15-16 years in order to avoid police action.
Acknowledging the issue, Fadnavis said his government would explore whether the age of criminal responsibility in drug-peddling cases can be reduced from 18 to 16. The state government is mulling amending the existing laws in consultation with the central government to make this happen, he added, while assuring that strict action would be taken against drug peddling in Bandra.
'To curb the involvement of minors in the supply of drugs, we are studying whether the age for taking action for drug peddling could be reduced by two years. Similarly, we are making changes in the law to hold the kingpin responsible if minors are engaged in drug deals,' he said.
Fadanvis also said the state government would formulate an SOP for the deportation of the Nigerians and other foreign nationals involved in drug peddling. 'The foreign nationals booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act commit minor crimes to avoid deportation and stay back here. Until these trivial cases are decided, they escape deportation. We have been in touch with the central government regarding the deportation of foreign nationals. The central government has asked us to deport these foreign nationals involved in drug peddling, by withdrawing the minor cases against them,' he said.
The Maharashtra police have also been conducting awareness drives in schools and colleges to curb the consumption and supply of drugs among the youth, the chief minister added.
Earlier this month, the state government tabled a bill to amend the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999, to bring drug peddlers dealing with commercial quantities of banned narcotic substances under its ambit.
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