In Karnataka’s first case; Nigerian citizen arrested, booked under PITNDPS act for drugs peddling
Bengaluru: The city police have arrested a Nigerian citizen involved in an illegal drug sale and registered a case under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT NDPS), 1988.
The arrest is the first-of-its-kind in the state and the High Court advisory board has upheld the police commissioner's orders to arrest the Nigerian citizen Makuko Chukuka. Cases had been registered under the PIT NDPS Act in five stations in the city.
Chukuka has been a part of the sale racket in the city since 2012, abetted by his wife. but had escaped arrest, said police sources.
Officials of the CCB drug control squad had submitted a proposal for the arrest of the peddler under said Act. DCP (Crime) Kuldeep Kumar Jain and JCP Sandeep Patil had reviewed the proposal and sent a recommendation to City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao. The commissioner issued an arrest order on March 16 and Chukuka was arrested on March 17.
When the case was taken to court, the advisory board with three judges of the high court upheld the commissioner's order. Chukuka has also been given a year's imprisonment.
CCB drug control squad inspector Shridhar Poojara had submitted the proposal to the senior officials.
Sandeep Patil has said that this is the first instance in the state where the CCB has used the PIT NDPS Act to control the sale of illegal substances.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
