Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner's Proposal Empowers Police Chiefs Across Maharashtra To Detain Drug Traffickers

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe has introduced a proposal that has resulted in the Maharashtra government granting police chiefs, including Police Commissioners and range-level Inspector Generals of Police, the authority to order preventive detention of drug traffickers under the PIT-NDPS Act of 1988. This shift in power allows senior police officers to take direct action against habitual offenders, previously restricted to the Principal Secretary (Home).

The Home Department's notification, issued last month, supersedes earlier decisions, enabling Police Commissioners and Inspectors General of Police in charge of police ranges to act swiftly against drug traffickers. Such offenders who have been involved in multiple narcotics-related cases can be considered for preventive detention, provided they meet legal requirements.

Bharambe emphasized the importance of taking decisive action at the local level to protect the younger generation from drug addiction and dismantle drug mafias' networks. He expressed confidence that the state government's decision to grant preventive detention powers directly to senior police officers will expedite action against traffickers and strengthen preventive measures against organized drug trafficking across Maharashtra.