Thiruvananthapuram, May 29
Kerala Home
Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday asserted that nobody found
involved in the narcotics racket in the state -- reportedly involving
the high and mighty also -- will be spared.
"We have declared a
war against drugs and it does not matter who are engaging in this... we
will act tough," Chennithala told reporters here.
"No leniency
will be shown to anyone. Our sole aim is to ensure that drugs are driven
out and violators -- irrespective of which section or class of society
they come from -- are taken to task," he said.
Kochi, known as
the commercial capital of Kerala, has of late earned the dubious
distinction of becoming the nerve centre of the drug mafia in the state,
as different "recreation" drugs are finding their way from Goa.
Police rounded up a Russian disc jockey and a few others on Saturday during a DJ party at a plush hotel at Kochi.
Police
said they had got test reports to confirm that the substances seized
from the arrested were hashish powder and ketamine, but the accused were
let off on bail the very next day since they were each found in
possession of very small quantities of drugs.
Police have, based
on statements of the accused, found that drug abuse was high among
those from the younger generation in the film industry as well as DJs.
Early
this year, budding actor Shine Tom Chacko and four young women were
rounded up by police after a midnight swoop in their apartment. Chacko
and the women later got bail.
Upset with the frequent leaks to the media of the vigilance probe
details in the 'bar scam' case, state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala
on Friday said this has dented the image of the department.
Chennithala
was referring to the series of leaks that have occurred during the
vigilance probe in the bar scam case against two state ministers -- K.M.
Mani (finance) and K. Babu (excise).
Chennithala told media
persons here that it was most unfortunate that the details of the probe
were surfacing in media on a day-to-day basis.
"This has
seriously dented the credibility of the vigilance department. A crime
branch probe has been ordered into the leaks and action will be taken
against those found guilty," said Chennithala.
The media has had
a field day ever since the bar scam surfaced last October when
whistle-blower bar owner Biju Ramesh revealed that Mani was given Rs.one
crore as bribe to ensure that closed down bars in the state are kept
open.
The government had announced a probe into the matter. But
the government was now upset that the details of the progress of the
probe continue to appear in media on a day-to-day basis.
