Two Nalsar Hyderabad students were arrested for allegedly possessing 475gms of weed, reported the Deccan Chronicle.
The students were caught by Shameerpet inspector Bhaskar Reddy near the Nalsar campus when they were returning to college in an autorickshaw while still in possession of the packets of weed (as well as two beer bottles and three beer cans, according to the reports). They had been consuming the weed for the last one year, it reportedly emerged in the police interrogation.
They had procured the weed from Dhoolpet in Hyderabad, after leaving campus at 6pm and travelling to Dhoolpet on a public bus. At Dhoolpet they had asked a cluster of parked autorickshaw drivers for the weed and one of them had produced a half kilogram packet.
Both the students are 20 years old and are in their second year of LLB at Nalsar, according to the Mumbai Mirror and according to the apprehending inspector Reddy this is the first instance of Nalsar students being caught with banned narcotic substances.
A case under the Narcotic Substances Act 1988 has been registered against them.
The Nalsar administration was not reachable for comment at the time of going to press.
Two JGLS Sonepat students were arrested by the Haryana police in September after they were caught with 1kg of weed.
Comments
Just checked the Jindal article though, where we didn't mention names, so we'll make the same change here...
Thanks
Kian
http://www.legallyindia.com/lawschools/nlsiu-20160406-7408
However, the moment a student is caught by the police (not internal institutional authorities) Kian bows down to consumer pressure.
Independent media like yours developed because it was felt that mainstream media was bowing too easily to certain quarters. Now you do the same. Good job Kian.
Waiting for the down voting from the same students who stand up for narcotic offenders and sexual perverts (another NALSAR senior from the 2016 batch).
YRM and AK were caught committing an offence. They are adults. They were rightly named. Then, began the consumer pressure and Kian pee'd himself and back tracked.
(na, just kidding, there was a formatting error, now corrected :)
The truth is that NLU students behave worse than Jindal students. Students have been sexually abused through ragging at NLUJ (reported), NLSIU (hushed up) and NALSAR (hushed up). A NALSAR student was arrested for harassing an air hostess (reported) and no action was taken by the college. At least at Jindal students are suspended or expelled.
I know it doesn't make much of a difference in your world, but since I've actually read law and not partied for my 5 years, thought I'd explain anyway.
However, instead of involving the police, or VC - in cohorts with the SBC President and other members - had let these guys off the hook. [...] was allowed to withdraw from the institution despite being a known drug dealer on campus. [...] seems to stepped into the void over the last year.
1. In this case, Y & A (the arrested kids) were bringing ganja back to campus for their friends as well. Local police have generally been lax about any enforcement, but the recent drug busts in Tollywood has brought police inaction under scrutiny. Hence, they are very keen to show action wherever possible. In fact, Nalsar admin was actively trying to negotiate with the local SI to let the students off, but the cops did not relent. But thankfully, the charge has been written in a way so as to suggest personal consumption only.
2. Because of this, Nalsar admin has now cracked down on student liberties: bags frisked, CCTVs installed everywhere on campus.
3. In fact, last year, a leading Nalsar student (son of prominent public figure and anit-corruption activist) orchestrated a Serpico-like bust on a bunch of junior students who happened to have some pot on them (purely out of personal animosity). Because of this, admin is going after those students with a vengeance. Any hopes of a lenient penalty/appeal for them is completely ruined because of this latest bust and the press attention.
4. Sadly, the student-body office bearers are too scared to act or say anything. Sure, the college needs to show that it is being responsible, but the degree to which campus freedoms are restricted are unreasonable to say the least. Someone has to speak up.
5. Nalsar is nothing like Jindal - all students come through a rigorous entrance exam. Just like any elite college in India, there is some recreational drug use (all within control and not affecting anyone else). Jindal has a lot of rich kids from Haryana who are clearly a substantial part of the student body. Only some students are able to take advantage of Jindal's faculty/infrastructure. So when Jindal kids get caught with kilos of drugs its obviously different from Nalsar.
Here's hoping Nalsar doesn't go down the NLU-D style of authoritarianism.
4. Sadly, the student-body office bearers are too scared to act or say anything. Sure, the college needs to show that it is being responsible, but the degree to which campus freedoms are restricted are unreasonable to say the least. Someone has to speak up.- They aren't scared, really. The present committee has signed securities for kids found intoxicated and smuggling in contraband, orinarily things that can put a person in jail in any other city based college. The committee has been brave enough to stand up, in fact, for a student who has been served multiple show causes not only for consuming intoxicants, but getting the same on campus. That student has escaped strict action multiple times, but still like others, doesn't see the error and instead blames everything on the admin, which might be unreasonable a few times, but not as many as 5+ times.
More reality, please :)
You are surely not in the loop of what is actually happening. Those very bearers you are accusing of being cowards have been going out of their way, keeping their preparation for exams aside and helping out the accused in whatever manner that is possible.
As for the CCTV cameras, they were anyway going to be installed, a decision taken prior to this incident. And last I checked, there is no CCTV camera on campus at present.
In response to the comment, let me first say that there are no CCTVs on campus, nor shall we allow such an imposition. As for bag checking, unfortunately, yes. This is't an administrative decision, it's one that has been communicated to us by the local Station. in light of the current proceedings against our students, it is best we follow their requests at least until the charges are dropped.
As for the leniency against individuals who have been pulled up by the admin previously, we're possibly one of the most lenient there is - there are my friends and peers who have been caught numerous times, and who have been let off as Office bearers of the SBC have taken personal responsibility for their actions.
As for the claim that the student body office bearers have been silent - That's possibly the least truthful account of the last three days. Various office bearers have been present throughout at the local Station, then at the local court, and have tried our best to ensure that no harm befalls the two individuals in question. As for not speaking up against the crackdown - what crackdown? There are no CCTVs, and the bag checks only happen at the main college gate due to police orders. There has been no checking of hostels, no sudden authoritarian orders or the like.
While i understand the need to vent out your frustrations anonymously on a public forum, i assure you a better return for your time would be to approach me or any other office bearer with any specific concerns you may have.
Clarifying Point 2: I meant CCTVs coming, I doubt anyone can stop that now. Given the most righteous SBC didn't bother to object in any meaningful way to the bag checks at the main gate, I have little confidence that they'll have a backbone in re CCTVs (who are the local police to say bags must be checked)? There is no need for college to bend over backwards because two people were caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing (or shouldn't have been caught doing). I'm sorry, this bag checking business is not something I can brush aside. For someone who lives by the rules (or at least, is responsible enough to not get caught, which after all was supposed to be the expectation of the SBC/admin), it is something that deeply affects me.
As for my final point, I have been to NLU-D. That campus is like an office complex, "don't sit here", "this is for guests", "wardens/guards can check you anytime" etc. That sort of culture starts with minor incursions into student spaces (albeit justified similarly, 'local police instructions', 'Dwarka is unsafe'), and we end up with something like this. Maybe Nalsar was like this before with Ranbir Singh, but thankfully it has not reached that it.
As for the SBC's response, a lot leaves to be desired. Sure, in this case, do try all you can to save Y & A. But that doesn't condone institutional inefficiency. Rather than fight for every individual caught, and plead with the admin, how about more clearly delineating what is socially permissible and what is not? Why should we be beholden to SBC's (or admin's) benefaction? Particularly, after seeing what an esteemed senior did last year (Point 3)?
My friends in NUJS tell me, for whatever flaws they have (infra lacking/incompetent admin etc), at least their student body has a spine. They aren't fooled by carrots dangled by the admin, into thinking that any actual student enfranchisement is happening.
2016 - [...] & [...] drug bust
2015 - [...] (2016 batch) air-hostess voyeur video
.
.
.
one can go on. But these happened in your time. These happened in times of lax checking (there are more happening everyday that people close their eyes towards). Still you have the nerve to call it one-off, shame on you. Live by the rule my foot.
2. Admin not taking action (despite having knowledge of all activities) in itself seems to be leniency, so do not really see the point there.
3. As far as the student-body office bearers are concerned, they have been helping the kids. Campus freedoms have not been restricted, only orders of strict enforcement have been issued.
Please get your facts straight before speaking up on a public forum.
but no cctv installed on campus (yet).
2. Kindly go and read the NDPS act before commenting.
3. According, to the act 1kg is what is considered as smaller quantity and below that, it is personal consumption for which section 27 of ndps applies. Further, if booked under section 27, the immunity is provided under 64a of the ndps act, if they go for rehab.
4. The ndps also provides that the arrest should be done as per the procedure given under the ndps act which was clearly not the case. There was no independent witness present when they were arrested. So, when it comes to point whether the university should expel them or not, i would say innocent until proven guilty.
5. I can’t belive what kind of lawyers you guys would make if you are basing your entire argument on the basis of media trial.
6, Lastly, what if the college expel them now and later they are acquitted by the court, who will be responsible then for destroying their carrier?
Regarding Sr. No. 6, disciplinary proceedings stand on a completely different footing. All the University has to do is establish, on the strength of preponderance of probability, that the students' actions amounted to some form of misconduct under the applicable rules and regulations. If the students are expelled following an enquiry, they can possibly file an appeal to the appellate authority within the university. If the appeal is dismissed, they can file a writ on the grounds that the punishment is disproportionate.
And if they are acquitted in the meanwhile, they don't go to jail.
And if their 'carrier' is destroyed, they can get a new one. But if their legal careers are destroyed, they have nobody to blame but themselves.
The NDPS Act is one of the harshest laws that exists today. It even had the mandatory death penalty for some offences, till the Bombay High Court read it down. The provisions, sentences, presumptions. requirements for getting bail are all excessive to say the least. Alot of the harshness it linked to the three international drug control conventions.
Treating drug use with harsh criminal law is also linked to the 'war on drugs' which started in the US and has then grown internationally. It is now quite clear that the war on drugs has been an abject failure - with severe effects on the rights of drug users, public health as well as HIV and Hep C epidemics. The work of the Global Commission on Drug Policy can be looked at in this regard.
The police/NCB across the country routinely misuse the NDPS Act. The harshness of the law lends itself to abuse. The case against the two students will have to stand the scrutiny of the courts and thus it is important to wait for due process to take its course.
The Act requires a serious overhaul in my opinion. In the mean time,apart from Section 64A regarding treatment, Section 71 allows the Govt. to set up centres for treatment which has been a recent addition.
Yes, the penalties are harsh.
Yes, they have been proven to ruined a entire generation of black kids in the US.
Yes, they are mis-utilized in India.
Yes, (as pointed in one the comments above) this wasn't commercial quantity.
Maybe, the requirement of having independent witnesses was not adhered to by the police.
Yes, the previous point will be used by the judge to let 'the good kids with a bright future' off.
However, just like we can't say 'a crime is a crime', lets not pretend you won't say 'but they were acquitted' in a few months time. Just like NALSAR says that about [...].
Even some years ago a NALSAR student was arrested for molesting an Indigo air hostess (it was reported in all newspapers).
However, don't use general 'playing to the gallery' statements to run from your (colleague's) criminality.
Was PA a second year?
Were those question paper leakers second years?
Was Walia, Doon hit and run a second year?
You have been a bunch of criminals for longer than the present second years.
@Guest - Sure, lets compare ourselves with fucked up people to justify the laziness of a whole batch.
The question is as to what was the administration doing? Were they themselves under the influence of GANJA?? The responsibility is more of the administration as against that of the students. Why no full time wardens at NALSAR have been appointed? If the money that is used to finance the daily trips of VC's wife (150 kms at the rate of Rs. 1.5 /km) had been used for appointments of full time wardens, NALSAR would definitely not be in the mess that it is in today.
However, the above is just a trailer of the happenings at NALSAR. There are so many things that the outside world is unaware of as Mustafa is very conscious of his public image and has managed to keep the media on his side; had he invested the same money & efforts for betterment of NALSAR, the place would have been in a better situation.
The fact of the matter is that NALSAR has the most pathetic administration just running on past
reputation.