The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the state government to provide current information on cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in and around Shillong, including the bustling Police Bazar area. This directive follows concerns raised in a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding alleged drug trafficking in the region. The court’s decision came during a hearing of a PIL filed by Mewaker Lyngdoh against the Union of India and others.
Additional Advocate General K. Khan, representing the Meghalaya government, presented an affidavit during the proceedings in compliance with a previous court order from June 8 this year. The affidavit, accepted by the bench and shared with senior advocate S.P. Mahanta, detailed the state’s efforts to combat drug-related crimes and provided a breakdown of NDPS Act cases registered between January 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
The petitioner’s counsel highlighted the persistent issue of drug trafficking and peddling in the Police Bazar area, a prominent commercial center in Shillong. The counsel urged the court to enforce stricter measures to tackle the illicit drug trade. In response, the state’s counsel requested more time to submit updated data on NDPS cases registered from January of this year to the present, particularly focusing on the Police Bazar locality.
Acknowledging the request, the High Court granted an extension to the state government and scheduled further proceedings for August 3. The court directed the government to file an additional affidavit containing the most recent statistics on drug cases in the Police Bazar area, which serves as a key market hub for the city’s residents.
