ORDER

1. These matters were heard through video conferencing mode.

Justice Indira Bannerji in her dissenting opinion in the case of Tofan Singh vs. State of Tamil Nadu reported in (2021) 4 SCC 1 has observed as follows:

".... 2. The illicit production, distribution, sale and consumption of drugs and psychotropic substances, is a crime of multi-dimensional magnitude, that imposes a staggering burden on the society. In an Article "Narcotic Aggression and Operation Counter Attack" published in the Mainstream dated March 7, 1992, V.R. Krishna Iyer, J. said:-

"Religion is opium of the people, but today opium is the religion of the people, and like God, is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Alas! Opium makes you slowly ill and eventually kills, makes you a new criminal to rob and buy the stuff, tempts you to smuggle at risk to become rich quick, makes you invisible trafficker of psychotropic substances and operator of a parallel international illicit currency and sub rosa evangelist mafia culture. Drug business makes you if not killed betimes, the possessor of pleasure, power and empire. What noxious menace is this most inescapable evil that benumbs the soul of student, teacher, doctor,