Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The Supreme Court on Friday (May 8, 2026) criticised the Punjab Government and authorities for their inability to bring the drug problem in the State to heel, saying the human toll is alarming.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, heading a Bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said drug abuse and trafficking continue galore as only small peddlers were caught while none dared to lay a hand on the big fish who ran the racket.

The Chief Justice narrated a recent incident involving a mother who lost all her five sons to drug addiction. “She lost her fifth son to drugs. The police need to be sensitised,” the CJI said.

The court said events were taking a turn for the worse that the Centre may have to intervene to resolve the menace in the State.

The court said both Central and State agencies must pool in their resources to find a solution for the problem which was corroding the society itself.

“The bigger sharks or influential ones should be arrested,” Chief Justice Kant said.

The Bench highlighted the huge pendency in cases charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and highlighted the need to have exclusive courts.

Published – May 08, 2026 10:40 pm IST