Representational Image: Mathrubhumi
Thiruvananthapuram: The excise commissioner has given direction to register cases against habitual drug peddlers imposing severe charges that could even attract capital punishment. The excise department will resort to grave provisions in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for suppressing the drug mafias in the state.
If an offender has been arrested on grounds of the same crime for which he was punished earlier, the accused will be subjected to double punishment considering the earlier offence too . By this, the habitual offenders involved in giant drug mafias may receive even death penalty. Provisions 31 and 31A of the NDPS Act, which have not been utilised yet, will be employed to pin down the drug traffickers.
The criminal background of the accused will be found out with the help of crime record bureaus of excise and police. Providing financial aid or any other support to the drug peddlers will also end up in double punishment.
The accused has to hand over a declaration pledging to refrain from drug trafficking to the concerned department before getting bail.
The police or excise can nab the accused under preventive detention if the accused was found involved in any drug-related cases within three years after release.
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