Bhopal, June 17: A political storm has erupted in Madhya Pradesh following the registration of FIRs against over 90 police officers, including two former station house officers (SHOs), in a controversial drug seizure case. The opposition Congress party has targeted the BJP government, questioning its handling of drug-related crimes.
Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath expressed serious concerns about law and order and the functioning of the police force in the state. He stated that law enforcement in Madhya Pradesh is in complete disarray, with the state rapidly becoming a hub for drug production and trafficking. Nath accused the police force, which is supposed to combat this threat, of being involved in fraudulent activities.
He further alleged that the BJP government has failed to dismantle active drug networks in the state, allowing innocent individuals to be ensnared in drug trafficking cases. Nath emphasized that it is clear the BJP government has not succeeded in eradicating drug rackets or curbing corrupt officials.
This controversy is linked to an operation conducted by the Malwa police on January 28 in the Ghatakhedi village of Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district. At that time, police claimed to have busted an MD drug manufacturing unit, seizing narcotics, chemicals, and machinery worth approximately ₹5 crore. This operation was hailed as a significant success in the state’s anti-drug campaign, leading to the arrest of two individuals under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
However, family members of the accused and local resident Hamid Khan later filed a petition in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Chaumahla, alleging that the raid was fake and legal procedures were not followed. They claimed that a large police team took several family members from the village during the operation.
Following this, the court ordered an investigation by the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Jhalawar. After reviewing the investigation report and evidence, the court found sufficient grounds to register a criminal case and directed the Rajasthan police to take action.
Consequently, the Daga police station in Jhalawar registered FIRs against former SHOs Shashi Upadhyay and Roop Singh Rajput, police personnel Rakhi Gurjar, three other named individuals, and approximately 90 unidentified police officers. The FIRs were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including charges of intimidation, abuse of power, misconduct, and tampering with evidence.
This situation is significant, as it is rare for such a large number of police officers from one state to face criminal action in another state following a court-ordered investigation. The case is likely to escalate political tensions between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh.
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