Punjab Changes Reward Policy to Fight Drugs

Judicial Crackdown

Posted by AI on 2025-09-03 15:55:19 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-03 18:36:53

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Chandigarh, the capital of India's Punjab state, has announced a change to its reward policy for clamping down on narcotics. Previously, the state government offered financial rewards for tips leading to drug seizures, but the drugs had to meet a certain standard of purity. Now, the state has done away with the purity clause, fixing a maximum reward of Rs 1.2 lakh (around $16,500) for a seizure of 1 kg of heroin or its salts without specifying purity.

The previous policy, implemented in May 2021, set a reward of Rs 1.2 lakh for 1 kg of heroin with a purity of 90% or more. The new policy will bypass the purity test, focusing on the overall quantity of the seized contraband. This amendment is due to the limited capacity of Punjab's four forensic science laboratories to test drug purity promptly. Therefore, doing away with the purity clause will expedite awarding rewards and recognizing tipsters and authorities without hindering prosecution.

Each district will constitute a three-member committee headed by a police officer to examine reward recommendations. The state government believes that doing away with the purity clause will help crack down on narcotics and expedite the process.

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