Meghalaya High Court
Mewaker Lyngdoh vs . Union Of India & Ors on 7 May, 2026
Author: W. Diengdoh
Bench: W. Diengdoh
Serial No.02
Daily List
HIGH COURT OF MEGHALAYA
AT SHILLONG
MC (PIL) No.7/2025
Date of order: 07.05.2026
Mewaker Lyngdoh Vs. Union of India & ors
Coram:
Hon'ble Mrs. Justice Revati Mohite Dere, Chief Justice
Hon'ble Mr. Justice W. Diengdoh, Judge
For the Applicant : Mr. S.P. Mahanta, Sr.Adv with
Mr. M. Lyngdoh, Adv
Mr. D. Dkhar, Adv
For the Respondents : Ms. K. Gurung, Adv vice
Dr. N. Mozika, DSGI with
Mr. S. Sengupta, Addl.Sr.GA with
Mrs. S. Laloo, GA
Pursuant to the order dated 7th April, 2026, the respondent
Nos.4, 5 and 6 have filed their respective affidavits. A copy of the
said affidavits has been served on Mr. Mahanta, learned Senior
Counsel for the applicant.
2. The respondent No.4-BSF in its affidavit dated 6th May,
2026 has given a chart of the cases registered by the said
authority from 1st January, 2025 till date. From the said chart, it
appears that narcotic substances were seized on 19.01.2025,
28.03.2025, 11.04.2025, 14.04.2025 10.07,2025, 02.10.2025,
Page 1 of 7
23.02.2026 and 28.02.2026. Accordingly, the BSF authorities
have registered cases with Dalu Police Station, Gasuapara Police
Station, Mahendraganj Police Station and Purakhasia Police
Station. All the seized items had been handed over to the said
Police Stations on registration of the FIRs.
3. The respondent No.6-Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has
also filed an affidavit dated 6th May, 2026. From the said affidavit,
it appears that during the period from 1st January, 2025 till date,
one case directly pertaining to the State of Meghalaya has been
registered by the NCB. In the said case, there is recovery and
seizure of 1.957 kilograms of methamphetamine tablets from the
accused persons. Investigation of the said case revealed
trafficking of contraband from Silchar in Assam towards
Mawsynram in the State of Meghalaya with further cross-border
linkages. The approximate value of the methamphetamine was
about ₹1.56 crores. Apart from the aforesaid case, the NCB in
paragraph 9 has stated that it has also effected seizures of
contraband in proximate transit corridors of the North Eastern
Region, particularly in the Barak Valley area of Assam which is
Page 2 of 7
geographically contiguous to the State of Meghalaya and
operationally relevant for trafficking routes thereby affecting the
State. In paragraph 9 of the said affidavit, the NCB has given a
chart of six cases registered from January, 2025 till date. The
seizures effected are essentially methamphetamine and heroin
worth crores of rupees. In paragraph 13 of the said affidavit, it is
stated that a North Eastern Regional Office under the Deputy
Director General (NER) has been established at Guwahati to
ensure effective coordination and supervision of all zonal units in
the region.
4. In paragraph 14, it is further stated that in order to curb
trafficking at the source, field offices have been established at
Aizawl and Dimapur in 2025, particularly in view of cross-border
trafficking through Myanmar-bordering areas. It is further stated
in paragraphs 16 and 17 that a robust mechanism has been
established through the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD),
which operates at multiple levels, including in the State and
District levels to facilitate coordination among all stakeholders
involved in drug law enforcement and that the said NCORD have
Page 3 of 7
conducted meetings at the State and District levels, thereby
reflecting active engagement in addressing drug- related issues. It
is further in paragraph 18 stated that the Anti-Narcotics Task
Force (ANTF) has been constituted in Meghalaya in 2023 and a
dedicated ANTF Police Station has been established in the year
2025 for investigating offences under the NDPS Act. It is further
stated in the affidavit that the NCB has been actively engaged in
capacity building through training programmes and workshops
for law enforcement agencies in the region and that to address
this menace, the Union of India has provided assistance to the
tune of ₹83.50 lakhs to the State of Meghalaya under the
Assistance to States/Union Territories Scheme for Narcotic
Control.
5. The respondent No.5-Customs has also filed an affidavit
dated 6th May, 2026. In paragraph 4 of the said affidavit, it is
stated that under the eight divisions and headquarters, there are
36 preventive units which are actively engaged in anti-smuggling
operations within their respective jurisdictions. The
organisational structure comprising eight divisions are Shillong,
Page 4 of 7
Guwahati, Dhubri, Karimganj, Imphal, Aizawl, Dimapur and
Agartala. It is further stated, that the preventive units are duly
sensitized and continuously engaged in preventing smuggling of
narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances along with other
prohibited goods and, that the operations are primarily based on
intelligence inputs received from the informers as well as from
para-military forces. It is further stated that the enforcement
agencies are conducting joint operations with the State police to
effectively apprehend offenders and seize the contraband goods.
In paragraph 8 of the said affidavit, the Customs department has
given a chart to show the seizure of contraband and narcotic
substances during the period 2023 to 2026. It appears that nine
cases were registered between the period 2023-24; eight cases
during the period 2024-25; and ten cases during the period 2025-
26 and the contraband seized was heroin. As far as ganja is
concerned, nine cases were registered from 2023-24; seven cases
from 2024-25; and 14 cases from 2025-26 i.e., cases relating to
seizure of Ganja and nine cases were registered from 2023-24; 12
cases from 2024-25; and 17 cases from 2025-26 i.e., seizure of
other narcotic substances i.e., yaba tablets and brown sugar. As
Page 5 of 7
per the affidavit, in addition to the drive conducted by the
authority, the department has also initiated various outreach
programmes on 26th June every year which is observed as
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and
that on this occasion, awareness programmes are organised for
school children across the city. Further, a special drive is also
carried out by executing destruction of the seized and confiscated
narcotics drugs seized under the NDPS Act at all divisions as well
as headquarters of the Commissionerate.
6. Learned Addl.Sr.GA seeks time to take instructions with
respect to the cases registered in Dalu Police Station, Gasuapara
Police Station, Mahendraganj Police Station and Purakhasia
Police Station, regarding to what is the status of the cases
registered at the said Police Stations; what happened to the seized
contraband deposited by the BSF; and what steps have been
taken for its destruction.
7. As far as page 2 of the order dated 7th April, 2026 is
concerned, we had directed the police authorities to continue with
the patrolling, particularly in areas where drug peddlers are
Page 6 of 7
allegedly known to operate and the names of the areas have been
mentioned. Learned Addl.Sr.GA seeks time to place on record on
an affidavit the steps taken by the police in terms of the aforesaid
order dated 7th April, 2026. The said affidavit to be filed in the
Registry within three weeks, with an advance copy to the learned
Senior Counsel for the applicant.
8. Stand over to 8th June, 2026.
(W. Diengdoh) (Revati Mohite Dere)
Judge Chief Justice
Meghalaya
07.05.2026
"Lam DR-PS"
Signature Not Verified
Page 7 of 7
Digitally signed by
LAMPHRANG KHARCHANDY
Date: 2026.05.08 15:07:06 IST
