Drug use at city pubs reduced to due to close monitoring, consistent actions: Police Commissioner

Asserting that the investigation into the network of narcotic drug cartels would intensify further and more peddlers would come into the net, the Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner A.Arun on Saturday said pubs, hotels and private places are under the radar of the police and frequent checks were being conducted to curb the drug menace.

Addressing reporters here on Saturday, Mr. Arun said, “It is said many are using narcotic drugs in pubs. After starting the Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU), we are closely monitoring them. Now the use of drugs in pubs has substantially reduced due to our consistent efforts. There are reports that people have been using the contraband in private places like in hotel rooms. We are also conducting surprise checks and seizing them.”

He said the ANIU has detected 54 networks of drug cartels and arrested over 534 peddlers for peddling synthetic drugs including 26 foreign nationals.  Additional Commissioner of Police, South, N.Kannan added that kingpins of drug cartels were arrested from major cities across India such Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru.

Beginning from the arrest of eight persons for drunken brawl at a Nungambakkam bar last month, police analysed backward and forward links and nabbed 27 persons who were connected to a cocaine cartel in 10 cases booked. At least six of them were detained under the Goondas Act. “We are continuously analysing backward and forward links of drug offenders. We cannot arrest someone just because he gave a statement. We need corroborative evidence. We are duly following the line.  It will continue,” said Mr. Arun. 

Replying to the criticism on the police handling of misappropriation case relating to Naveen Bollini, a treasury manager of a private dairy firm, the Commissioner asserted that it was a case of suicide and scientific evidence, and forensic experts have established it.

The Commissioner said a complaint of the company at a public grievance redressal camp on June 25 was forwarded to Central Crime Branch (CCB) with his endorsement. After the CCB seized it, it asked the complainant firm to provide more documents such as bank transactions to ascertain genuineness and the CCB did not call Naveen for enquiry yet. 

Mr. Arun said normally as per norms, the local police should enquire a complaint of above Rs one crore. Since the complaint had mentioned the amount of misappropriation was Rs 40 crore and lodged with Central Crime Branch (CCB), then local police/ Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kolathur ought not to have inquired into the complaint. The DC exceeded his brief and it was wrong departmentally. Joint Commissioner of Police, West, Disha Mittal has been conducting a departmental inquiry with DCP.

However, there is no evidence that DCP has summoned Naveen and interrogated him by phone or in person. If there is any charge of abetment of the suicide, it will be duly investigated, the Commissioner said.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)