DRUG MENACE,FEAR OVER HUMAN RACE.

BY K P PASWAN

 Celebrities all over the world are drug addicts. In Hollywood, drug addiction is not a big issue. In the famous case of O J Simpson, who was accused of murdering his former wife and her friends, defence lawyers told the court that murder was committed by Colombian drug cartel while Simpson, himself consumed drug. All over the world, extreme prosperity is followed by drug addiction. In India Punjab is the most prosperity and drug addiction is the menace which is proving a herculean task to be controlled.

 The legendry Hollywood actor Montgomery died of drug addiction. From Merlyn Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor, drug addiction was necessary for better performance and sometimes for vulgar display of their body. Sons and daughters of celebrities in India has nothing to do with their performance, but it is luxurious life in fast lane that is causing headache to the laws enforcing authorities.

India recently witnessed a strange drama. The son of a celebrity was caught along with others for drug consumption.  Narcotics bureau headed by an honest man was doing his duties as per rule and regulations. The story of O J Simpson of US was revisited and after going through the proceeding. In higher court, which granted bail to the celebrity’s son, one of the lawyers, very closed to ruling party, openly accused Narcotics investigating agency of planting the drug.

In this case, father of the accused is Mr Khan, a successful actor of Hindi cinema. He is also known as king Khan has been designated by his fans and a section of media as a super star. We don’t know or for that matter nobody knows, where the competition was held to declare him as the superstar of Hindi cinema. This Mr Khan gained prominence when during his visit to US, he was frisked away by the US security for through checking, his fans cried foul and denounced the actions of US security agency as if the mighty nation must forget the twin tower attack in favour of an Indian actor with dubious record.

Senior Khan is married to a Punjabi girl who as per rumour is herself a drug addict. Large number of girls in and around belonging to Punjabi community are married to Muslims by their choice. These are not love Jihad as the religion of these girls do not pose serious threats to love marriage. These girls are married to Muslims actors of Hindi cinema or TV serials. Surprisingly most of these girls are facing charges relating to drug trafficking and money laundering. It appears that Narcotics agency was monitoring the activities of junior Khan who is 23 and is doing nothing. The young Khan was nabbed along with his friends while they were attending a rave party on board a luxurious cruise Cordelia, which was journeying from Mumbai to Goa. The young Khan, as per media report told the authority that he had the capacity to purchase the luxurious cruise Cordelia.

Narcotics were found hidden in shoe and collar of shirts of his friends. A girl whose mother died of Corona was also nabbed. Within the meaning of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act( NDPS ACT) of India, the accused were produced in the court and the they were remanded in police custody. In the Session court, expensive lawyers were hired to represent the Jr Khan. But the session court denied any relief to the accused. The family of the Jr Khan rushed to High Court and this time Sr Khan hired one of the renowned lawyers of India to represent the Jr Khan in the court. Strange and bizarre arguments by defence lawyers were placed before the learned judge.

 Bail was granted but the findings of investigating officer were not set aside and the terms and conditions imposed by the learned Judge virtually demolished the dreams of the defendant. and while granting the bail, the court did not question the competency of the investigating agency. After going through the judgement and conditional bail, it becomes crystal clear that the investigating agency was proceeding in a professional manner

 Seldom has a trial aroused such passion and public feeling of hate towards defendant. This particular case reminds us the famous trial in which OJ Simpson, footballer in US, was aspiring a career in Hollywood, but was charge sheeted for murdering his wife. The difference is that in the case of Indian celebrity’s, son, there is no charge of committing of murder, but being a part of a drug cartel and of larger conspiracy. Meanwhile certain electronic medias cried foul and declared Investigating agency corrupt and incompetent

Defence of the accused (Jr Khan) sends the message that that history of drug consumption is a license to kill. Junior Khan had money to hire expensive lawyers, was adult, he could have left the home. If he had been not abused then the travesty is scandalous. This tendency to concoct a defence strategy combined the Indian habit of chattering endlessly to the press about impending litigation whether or not the process is set in motion, makes a mockery of the country’s pride in freedom of speech. A really clever defence lawyer might do well token his mouth shut, even if the prosecution has prematurely opened theirs so as to give the learned judge something new to chew over instead of a repetition of everything they have read and accepted by the Session Court. In this case there was no new evidences against Junior Khan and the Investigating Agency placed all the records. which were accepted by the session court.

  All criminals are   passion plays. Someone will be convicted. It is the responsibility of the defence to ensure that it is not his wealthy client, but someone else who is convicted.

 Drug addicts booked under Indian NDPS Act cannot be kept in prison without rehabilitation, the draconian laws as mentioned in the NDPS Act, makes it more than clear that if found guilty the accused is to be rehabilated. Défense team called for rehab instead of keeping the accused in jail. This is surprising as once outside of on bail, the accused is bound to take narcotics to avoid withdrawal symptoms. This is happening all over the world. Treating addiction of drug is time consuming and needs patience. In the case of Jr Khan, who is young and wealthy, there is not even scant hope that he would prefer rehab.

 COMMUNAL ANGLE. There is a minister in the cabinet of Maharashtra which has a coalition government and this particular minister represents the minority. Nobody in India ever heard the name of this minister. It was found that Narcotics control bureau of Mumbai booked the son in law of this minister for drug peddling and he had to remain in jail for more than six months and is on bail awaiting trial. This minister found golden opportunity to defame the officer, who investigated his son in law. The minister questioned the religion and not the competency of the investigating officer. He called press conference several times, alleging the officer visited Maldives and Dubai and serious allegation was made against the officer for forging the caste certificate to get the benefit of reservation. Surprisingly a section of media and political parties supported this neurotic minister. Instead of going to court for seeking justice, this minister is siding with the celebrity for being Muslim and accusing the Investigating Officer of being Muslims and getting the job by declaring himself as Dalit.

It is found that the Investigating Officer’s father, a Dalit married a Muslim woman as per Special marriage act and as per woman’s wish, a Nikahnama was performed, but the Officer’s father never converted and remained Hindu. There is nothing illegal unless the anti-Dalit lobby makes an issue of it and indulge in character assassination. Most of the Brahmins in India, hate solemnising Dalit’s marriage. These Dalits have their own traditions of marriage which do not fall under Special marriage Act or under Hindu Marriage Act, but still they are Hindu by religion and Dalit by caste.  Situations are improving and a few progressive Brahmins are solemnising Dalits marriage.

In this case, other members of the family of the Investigating Officer bear Muslims name. The officer married a Muslim girl, but later on divorced. If these facts are true than we conclude that the officer circumvented the policy of reservation. This is further strengthened by annual declaration of movable and unmovable property acquired by a public servant in India The Investigation Officer inherited from his mother’s side (a Muslim) property worth crores of Indian currency. This is unbelievable as a devout Muslim will never donate unmovable property to her son who is not following her religion. Founding fathers of the constitution had no intention to give the benefit of reservation to Non-Hindu Dalits. But this is to be settled in a court of law and by defaming an officer doing his duties within the meaning of laws

It was alleged that the Investigating Officer demanded bribe to the tune of Rs 18 Cr for releasing the accused. This is surprising because the former Home Minister of Maharashtra is facing the charge of extorting Rs One crore each moth from certain groups of business men. He is under custody. The minister must have suffered terrible attack of insomnia after hearing the amount of bribe sought by the Investing Officer.

Surprisingly the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai is absconding as he is facing serious charges of corruption. So, the same Mumbai police will institute case against a Group A officer, who happens to be a Dalit of mixed marriage.

A sick electronic media called the officer a Muslim Dalit, if this is true than India is on the brink of disintegration, the issue is open for debate. Islam do not recognise division in of society on the basis of castes as this religion boasts of universal brotherhood, but the stark realty is that minorities in India are opportunists. They will sacrifice the edicts of an unproven God to serve their own interest. Maharashtra and south India are famous for committing atrocities against Dalits who in despair, may resort to all means which are necessary for survival.

This is the climax of minister’s allegations against the Narcotics Bureau Officer It is a point at which the lawyer representing the minister in a court of law would gather himself for his touching peroration.

Lawyers don’t lie, they concoct story and in most of the cases they succeed in convincing the court of their findings, putting the prosecution in trouble. This is happening in US in every criminal case

It is virtually impossible to describe the feeling of an innocent man about to be put on trial for the crime, he never committed. There can be no position in human experience so terrible. To able to convince one’s feelings of truth is a desperate sensation. What does it count if one has been a truthful all one’s life. No torture of Inquisition could have rivalled this appalling sensation of a rat in a trap. There is however a line to be drawn between encouraging a client to think of his possible and counsel thinking it up for him. It is the cardinal principle that defence counsel must not misrepresent matters of fact or law to the court and must think himself as the professional representative of the accused and certainly not accused’s alter ego. But in India, situation runs in opposite direction. If you have money, just commit heinous crime, hire an expensive lawyer who will concoct a story and will put the prosecution in trouble, while accuse will get benefit of doubt.

Sensing trouble, the government of India entrusted the case to a central agency headed by an experienced officer, who will examine the accused on the basis of available evidences. The Narcotics Bureau Officer is being investigated by a different agency. Drug peddlers in India thrive by paying bribes to local police. But this is happening all over the world. Law enforcing officers are helpless as the sons and daughters of rich are involved in this type of murky business.

Drug addiction is a global menace. There is close link between drug addicts, drug peddlers and politicians in power. India is surrounded by two drug related triangles, Golden crescent, Afghanistan being the epicentre and Golden Triangle, Myanmar being the epicentre. In Latin America several drug cartels are dominating national politics and they are mutating like Coronavirus.

In this particular case, nothing is going to happen to accused. The defence will not miss an opportunity to prolong the trial and after five to ten years, the accused will be acquitted with honour

FINAL THOUGHT. Narendra Modi, the PM of India is an honest politician. His party believes in elimination of Dalits, which is impossible to achieve. But the honest PM also believes in eradicating Corona virus and general welfare of common people, irrespective of caste and creeds. It is his cardinal duty to see that drug menace in India does not go out of control and the Dalit Officer is not harassed at the instance of a crazy politician and anti-Dalit lobby.