Chandigarh, March 23: Just about a year after directions were issued for ensuring the display of licence and photograph of license-holder at prominent places in chemist shops for checking the sale of illicit drugs, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Punjab and UT Chandigarh to file a status report.
The Bench has also asked the Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to explain the process evolved by them for displaying the licences for retail and wholesale medical stores. The directions by the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Shekher Dhawan came after counsel for one of the parties, Navkiran Singh, pointed out that similar directions were required to be issued for Punjab and Chandigarh also.
The High Court, in May last year, had taken note of the assertion that several medical shops were being run by persons not possessing a valid licence or after renting the licence on a monthly basis in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
The Bench was also told that “all these medical stores were reported to be the hub of illicit drugs”. The Bench also took cognisance of the suggestion that all medical stores should be compulsorily required to display the licence, along with photograph of the license-holder, in front of the shop or a prominent place inside the shop.Before parting with the order, the Bench directed the authorities concerned and the Drug Controllers to verify and submit periodical reports that the shops were being run by authorised persons only.
“They shall further ascertain the authentication and genuineness of such licences from the Pharmacy Council of India,” the Bench had added. The directions came during the hearing of a “court on its own motion” or suo motu case against drugs menace. The pending “court on its own motion” case has its origin in a plea filed by Tarlochan Singh through counsel Navkiran Singh.
A Mohali resident, he was lodged at the Ropar district jail at the time of filing the petition. The inmate was seeking an inquiry not just into the sale of intoxicants in the Ropar jail “in connivance with jail officials”, but also their alleged highhandedness towards prisoners reporting against illegal activities.
The HC, on a previous date of hearing, had made it clear to Punjab that it wanted investigating agencies to go into the source of drugs. The Bench had also called for details of the drug source and the record of FIRs registered last year in Punjab.
Source Tribune India
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