Court orders Jamshedpur SSP to produce witnesses in drug case

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, August 31: The court of ADJ-2 Aabhas Verma has taken a strong stance after the Bagbeda police failed to present witnesses in a Drugs Act case. On Friday, the court issued a letter to SSP Kishore Kaushal, directing him to ensure the presence of witnesses in the ongoing trial.

The court’s action comes after multiple failed attempts to secure the witnesses’ attendance. “We had previously directed the Bagbeda police station in-charge to present the witnesses by the specified date,” explained ADJ-2 Aabhas Verma. “When this order was not complied with, we issued a show-cause notice on August 1. The non-compliance of this order has led us to directly address the SSP.”

The case dates back to April 18, 2018, when Drug Inspector Rajiv Ekka discovered Babita Devi of Sanjay Nagar, Bagbeda, selling intoxicating drugs illegally without a license. During questioning, Babita Devi revealed that she procured these drugs from Ajay Kumar alias Ajay Kumar Singh. An FIR was subsequently lodged against both Babita Devi and Ajay Kumar Singh under the Drugs Act.

However, despite the gravity of the case, none of the eight witnesses have appeared in court. The witnesses include Kallu Singh, Pehelwan Saav, Rajesh Prasad, Sarita Tanti, Rajesh Patro from Sanjay Nagar Bagbeda, and ASIs Sudhish Kumar Singh, Ashok Kumar Singh, and Police Vinod Ram. “Their absence is obstructing the legal process,” ADJ Verma added. “We are now relying on the SSP to resolve this issue and ensure that the trial proceeds without further delays.”