Corruption within
THE Punjab Police, waging an uphill battle against the drug menace, has been deeply embarrassed after a drug inspector, Shishan Mittal, was arrested for allegedly colluding with narcotic smugglers. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force uncovered Mittal’s deep involvement in facilitating illegal drug operations, revealing over Rs 7 crore in laundered funds through his bank accounts. As the man responsible for enforcing anti-narcotics regulations, his betrayal represents a significant crack in the state’s already fragile drug-control apparatus.
This is not the first time corruption has compromised the fight against drugs. In 2017, acting on a PIL, the Punjab and Haryana High Court formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of drug smuggling by senior police officials. The SIT’s findings, made public in April last year, were damning. They revealed that Inspector Inderjit Singh, in collusion with then Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh, had smuggled drugs from Pakistan with the help of dismissed BSF personnel. Inderjit was also accused of framing individuals by planting drugs to extort money and sell narcotics, but Raj Jit recommended a double promotion for him, despite the charges.
Corruption has plagued Punjab’s drug war, undermining trust in institutions meant to protect society. Bureaucratic inefficiency and systemic loopholes make it easier for such individuals to operate unchecked. The government’s reactive approach, including freezing Mittal’s assets and launching a belated investigation, highlights the need for stronger preventive mechanisms. Beyond individual arrests, the state needs structural reforms. These include strict vetting of officials, specialised NDPS courts (which has also been emphasised by the Punjab and Haryana Court), enhanced prison monitoring and improved agency coordination. Whistleblower protection and community-level policing should also be prioritised to address both internal corruption and grassroots drug abuse. Without systemic changes, the state’s battle against drugs will remain an uphill and, ultimately, losing one.
