Bengaluru gains dubious first place in Karnataka with over 6,700 NDPS cases, warns high court judge

2 min readBengaluruJun 6, 2026 05:21 PM IST

The Karnataka High Court judge stated that the increase in the number of NDPS cases has raised serious concern among law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and public health experts as the trend reflects both expanding drug networks and rising substance abuse. (Representative Image)

Justice Jayant Banerji of the Karnataka High Court Saturday termed the “fight against drugs” as crucial for safeguarding the future of “the country’s youth, Karnataka’s youth, and protecting families and thereby preserving the social fabric.”

“The fight against drug abuse is not about arrests and seizures; it is not just a law and order issue but a public health crisis that threatens our youth, our families, and the future of our nation and our state,” he added.

Justice Banerji made the remarks while speaking at the State-Level Consultation Meeting on the “Prevention of Drug Abuse” held at the Karnataka Judicial Academy.

Justice Banerji, who is also the chairman of the Karnataka Judicial Academy, referred to newspaper reports which pointed to the increasing number of cases being registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) in Karnataka.

He said, “Bengaluru has the dubious place of 6,743 cases registered under the NDPS Act, which is the largest in Karnataka.”

The Karnataka High Court judge stated that the increase in the number of cases has raised serious concern among law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and public health experts as the trend reflects both expanding drug networks and rising substance abuse.

Meanwhile, Justice (retd) John Michael Cunha, Chairman of NALSA’s DAWN Scheme, stated that the age at which people begin using drugs is decreasing.

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Cunha said, “Women and children often suffer severe consequences from addiction and therefore require special protection and rehabilitation measures.” He appealed to judicial officers, public prosecutors, and legal aid lawyers to make effective use of Section 64A of the NDPS Act, which enables treatment and rehabilitation opportunities for individuals struggling with substance abuse.

Justice Anu Sivaraman, Executive Chairperson of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), suggested that exclusive de-addiction centers for juveniles be set up.