Jail staff get special powers to fight drug menace
Tuesday, 26/03/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130326/punjab.htm#15
Patiala : In a major decision that would help the jail department fight the menace of drugs inside Punjab prisons, the state government has given special powers to junior staffers to conduct checks inside jails. As per the new decision, the jail staff would be competent to check drugs inside jails and book the accused under appropriate sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act.
As per the new notification issued by the Department of Home Affairs, Head Warder and Head Matrons would be able to perform their duty under the NDPS Act, within their respective jurisdiction. Earlier, in a majority of the cases, the jail staffers would catch the inmates with the drugs and refer the case to the local police that would register the case. "The recoveries made by the jail officials would, however, get rejected in the court," said jail officials.
"It is for the first time in the country that such a power has been designated to the jail officials in the rank of Head Warder and Head Matrons," said additional DGP (Jails) RP Meena. As many as 2,429 male and 86 female convicts are imprisoned in the 26 Punjab jails. They also house 4,283 male and 203 female under-trials booked under the NDPS Act.
