ED may probe Punjab drug cases as poll campaign intensifies

The Enforcement Directorate is examining the possibility of launching a formal investigation into narcotics cases in Punjab, as the drug menace emerges as a key political issue in the run-up to state assembly polls.

The BJP has intensified its push for central agency involvement in ongoing drug-related inquiries, arguing that the scale and complexity of the issue warrants intervention by federal authorities. The party has framed the drug problem as a critical governance failure that voters should weigh during elections.

Punjab has long grappled with drug trafficking and abuse, with multiple law enforcement agencies conducting investigations into smuggling networks and distribution chains. The timing of heightened political focus on the issue reflects its electoral significance in a state where narcotics have impacted communities across urban and rural areas.

The potential ED involvement would mark a significant escalation in the central government's engagement with the matter. Officials have indicated that a decision on proceeding with a formal probe would depend on preliminary assessments of whether financial crimes or money laundering connected to drug operations warrant investigation under the ED's mandate.

The development underscores how security and public health issues are being leveraged as campaign narratives, with both ruling and opposition parties positioning themselves as champions of law and order ahead of the electoral contest.