The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre's stand on a plea alleging disappearance of 70,772.48 kg of heroin from seizure records between 2018 and 2020.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on a petition filed by B R Aravindakshan and asked the Centre to file its response within four weeks.

The petitioner, a journalist, has claimed that there is a huge discrepancy between the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report and the data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding seizure of drugs in the country from 2018 to 2020.

"He (petitioner) states that cumulatively, 70,772.48 kg of heroin has disappeared from seizure records between 2018 and 2020. Issue notice. Let replies be filed within four weeks," the court said in its order passed on Wednesday.

The petitioner has said "the alarming disappearance" of more than 70,000 kg of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh crore in the international market, raises concerns of national security, social stability and economic repercussions.

The plea says the magnitude of the "discrepancy" is so large that if not sorted promptly, it may result in chaos in the society, but no action has been taken on the issue.

"On 12.09.2022, the petitioner filed a complaint before the MHA representing the data relating to the mismatch of data provided by NCRB and the data provided by Hon'ble Nityanand Rai, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, concerning seizure of heroin during the year 2018 and 2020.

"The petitioner insisted that 70,772.54 kg heroin worth Rs 5 lakh crore seized in India has been missing, thus insisting the ministry that an immediate investigation should be ordered for the safety and welfare of the country," the petition says.

The petitioner has sought several directions with respect to the alleged mismatch, including a direction to the MHA to order an investigation in a stipulated time period.

The matter would be heard next on September 9.

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