Drug addicts should be sent to rehabilitation centres, not jail: MoS Ramdas Athawale

MoS Ramdas Athawale said, `There is a provision in the law that people who consume drugs can be sent to jail. Our ministry feels that the accused charged with drug consumption will not be sent to jail but to a rehabilitation centre.`

Lucknow: Indirectly referring to Aryan Khan, who has been in Mumbai`s Arthur Road jail since October 8 in connection with the drugs on cruise case, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said people caught consuming drugs should be sent to rehabilitation centres instead of jail and there must be a change in this law.

Athawale addressed a press conference at Lucknow and detailed on the several welfare schemes of the Union Government. He said, "People who drink alcohol are not sent to prison. But there is a provision in the law that people who consume drugs can be sent to jail. Our ministry feels that the accused charged with drug consumption will not be sent to jail but to a rehabilitation centre."

"The law needs to be changed," he added. Earlier Athawale on Sunday advised Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to send son Aryan Khan, who is arrested in a drugs-on-cruise case, to a rehabilitation centre. "It is not good to take drugs at a young age. Aryan Khan has a future ahead. I advise Shah Rukh Khan to send Aryan Khan to a de-addiction rehabilitation centre associated with the ministry. He should be there for 1-2 months instead of keeping him in jail. There are a lot of such centres across the country. In 1-2 months, he will be cured of drug addiction," the Union Minister told ANI.

"Our Central government led by PM Modi believes in `Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas`. Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, 43.5 crore accounts have been opened. Our govt believes in the development of all," he said. 

Slamming the opposition parties in the state, ahead of 2022 Assembly elections here, the minister said, "SP, BSP, Congress say that we spread communal tensions in the state. But, our government believes in development for all. BJP will win more than 300 assembly seats in 2022." 

Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are slated to be held next year. Athawale further lauded Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede for his investigation into the cruise drugs case and said, "At least 5-6 times, the court has received a bail petition but was rejected. This shows that NCB has full approval and it is wrong to say that his arrest is unlawful," he said.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2. Aryan Khan and some others were arrested by NCB on October 3. A total of 20 people, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested so far in the case. Following Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik`s claim that Wankhede visited Dubai to extort money, Athawale said, "Nawab Malik is attempting character assassination of Sameer Wankhede. I request Nawab Malik to not falsely accuse someone.”