CHANDIGARH। : In a fresh move to strengthen Punjab’s response to drug trafficking, the Bhagwant Mann-led government has authorised six senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to exercise special powers under a law designed to prevent illicit drug trafficking. The authorisation, issued through a government notification dated October 21 following the Governor’s approval, is intended to reinforce the state’s legal and administrative capacity to act against suspected trafficking networks. The development comes as the drug menace remains a major public concern in Punjab, affecting families, communities and the state’s efforts to protect its younger generation.
The notification invokes Section 3(1) of the **Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988**. This legislation provides for preventive detention in cases where the competent authority, on the basis of relevant material and satisfaction of the statutory requirements, considers detention necessary to prevent a person from engaging in illicit drug trafficking. The provision is distinct from the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which principally governs offences involving narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The special authorisation should therefore not be interpreted as an automatic power to detain anyone accused of a drug offence; each detention order must comply with the applicable law and safeguards.
The six officers named in the notification are **A. S. Rai, Gautam Cheema, Naunihal Singh, Shive Verma, Kaustubh Sharma and S. Boopathi**. According to published reports, A. S. Rai is serving as Special Director General of Police, Traffic; Gautam Cheema as Additional Director General of Police; Shive Verma as Additional Director General of Police, Internal Security; Kaustubh Sharma as Additional Director General of Police, Security; Naunihal Singh as Additional Director General of Police, Internal Vigilance Cell; and S. Boopathi as Inspector General of Police, Provisioning. The notification provides a formal basis for these officers to exercise the specified statutory powers within the jurisdictions assigned to them.
The measure adds another legal instrument to the state’s response to drug trafficking. Its significance lies in enabling designated senior officers to consider preventive action where the evidence and statutory requirements justify it, rather than relying solely on conventional criminal proceedings after offences have occurred. Such powers carry serious consequences for personal liberty and must be exercised on the basis of relevant material, proper application of mind and compliance with legal safeguards.
For Punjab, the challenge extends beyond individual arrests and seizures. Authorities must identify and disrupt the networks involved in procurement, transportation, distribution and financing, while ensuring that investigations reach those organising the trade rather than only those found at the lowest levels of the supply chain. Effective enforcement also requires coordination between police units, intelligence gathering, action against repeat offenders and cooperation with agencies in other states where trafficking routes cross jurisdictional boundaries.
The Mann government has repeatedly presented action against drugs as a major priority. The latest notification signals an effort to strengthen the legal framework available to senior police leadership. However, the effectiveness of the measure will ultimately depend on how the powers are used, whether trafficking networks are disrupted and whether enforcement results in sustained reductions in the availability of illicit drugs.
The broader response also requires attention to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Families affected by addiction need accessible support, while young people need opportunities and protection from recruitment into drug distribution networks. Law enforcement can play a central role in confronting organised trafficking, but lasting progress will also depend on public awareness, health services and accountability at every level.
With six senior officers now specifically authorised under the 1988 preventive-detention law, attention will turn to implementation, the allocation of jurisdiction and the results of subsequent enforcement action. The government’s stated objective is to strengthen the fight against illicit drug trafficking; the real test will be whether the legal step translates into measurable progress for communities across Punjab.