Calcutta HC sends 17 Bengal cops to training, stalls promotions over failures in drug case investigations

The Calcutta High Court has directed disciplinary measures against 17 police officers from various districts of West Bengal for negligence in investigating narcotics-related cases. The court ordered that all 17 officers be sent to the Police Training School for a minimum of six months to receive specialised training on drug case investigation procedures. Only those who successfully complete the training will be allowed to investigate or take part in raids in future drug-related cases.

The issue came to light after several police officers, during court proceedings, failed to identify the accused whom they had earlier arrested based on specific intelligence. These incidents were noted in multiple cases over the last three years. The High Court considered this a serious procedural failure and clubbed similar cases together for a consolidated hearing. Uniform patterns of failure were found in police stations such as Domkal, Bheempur, and Chakulia.

In compliance with court directives, the West Bengal Police reviewed past cases from the districts of Nadia, Murshidabad, and North Dinajpur. A detailed report was submitted which identified the 17 officers as responsible for lapses in seven separate drug-related cases. Following the report, departmental proceedings were initiated and one promotion for each of the 17 officers has been placed on hold.

Justice Ajay Kumar Mukherjee, presiding over the bench, stated that any such negligence in the future will result in stricter action. Acting on this, the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Kolkata Police Commissioner have issued formal warnings to all police stations, urging caution and adherence to proper procedure in narcotics investigations.

During court proceedings, several government-appointed lawyers raised concerns regarding the lengthy duration of trials, often extending up to 10–15 years. They pointed out that during such periods, police officers are frequently transferred, and the appearance of the accused may also change. They added that it is the responsibility of the prosecution to ensure that witnesses, including police personnel, are thoroughly briefed before trial to avoid identification errors.