Police invoke PIT NDPS Act, detains repeat drug offender

In a significant move under its anti-drug campaign, Mysuru City Police have invoked the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act, 1988 for the first time, detaining a habitual ganja peddler in a move aimed at dismantling the city’s narcotics network.

The accused, Irfan Pasha alias ‘Batana’, 32, a resident of Mandi Mohalla, was taken into preventive detention following an order issued on Monday. He has been lodged in the Ballari Central Prison under the Act’s provisions, which allow authorities to detain individuals to prevent further illicit activities.

Police Commissioner Seema Latkar shared details of the case and the steps taken under the provisions at a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday.

According to the police, Pasha had been engaged in the sale, storage, transportation, and supply of ganja since the age of 19. Between 2014 and 2025, nine cases were registered against him under the NDPS Act, with a total seizure of 28kg of ganja linked to these cases. He was convicted in three instances, a press release from the office of the Commissioner of Police, Mysuru, stated.

Despite being classified as a habitual offender and monitored through a rowdy sheet, and even after preventive legal actions were initiated against him, he allegedly continued his involvement in drug trafficking. “The Police said he repeatedly secured conditional bail from courts but violated the terms to resume illegal operations,” the press release said.

Citing his consistent breach of bail conditions and continued engagement in narcotics trade, the police decided to invoke the PIT NDPS Act, a preventive detention law, to curb his activities. This is the first such move against repeat offenders, with the city police getting tough on drug peddlers as its efforts to make the city drug-free.

The police also warned that similar stringent measures would be taken against other peddlers operating in the illegal drug network.

The Police Commissioner said 30 drug peddlers have been externed as part of measures taken to curb their activities.

The Mysuru City Police have also appealed to the public to support their efforts by reporting information related to the sale, transport, or consumption of narcotics via the “Vimukthi” helpline (8277948080).

₹20 lakh worth mobile phones recovered

In a successful month-long special operation, the Mysuru City Police recovered 220 lost mobile phones collectively valued at around ₹20 lakh. The recovered devices were formally handed over to their rightful owners by the Police Commissioner on Tuesday.