Scrap Kappa Act as prisons fuel drug trade, says BJP councillor Sugathan

Calls to Scrap Act

Thiruvananthapuram Corporation BJP councillor R. Sugathan has demanded that the government must scrap the Kappa Act, alleging it is being misused by political parties and police to settle personal scores. Sugathan stated that while people are booked under Kappa over minor cases and personal rivalries, several hardened criminals escape legal action. He claimed he was himself jailed under the act as part of political revenge, and urged the government to investigate how the law is being abused.

Drug Trade in Jails

Prisons have turned into major hubs for the drug trade, according to Sugathan, who said Operation Toofan should target jails first. He pointed to the recent recovery of MDMA from the Kannur women's prison to support his claim, adding that crores of rupees worth of drug deals happen inside prisons, a problem that has persisted across different governments including Left regimes. Sugathan also alleged that new inmates suffering from sleep issues are sometimes given strong psychiatric drugs that leave them weak and vulnerable to exploitation.

Juvenile Systems and Crackdown

Sugathan criticized the juvenile and correctional systems, noting that young people sent to juvenile homes and Borstal schools often end up facing Kappa charges alongside hardened criminals later. Meanwhile, former DGP and BJP leader R. Sreelekha slammed Sugathan's detention under Kappa as brutal and politically motivated, alleging it was a joint plot by the Congress and CPI(M) to undermine BJP's rise in the corporation. Sreelekha stated that the High Court eventually quashed the Kappa order against Sugathan.

Context

Laws like the Kappa Act are originally designed to target habitual offenders and dangerous criminals to maintain public order. However, controversies often arise regarding their implementation and potential misuse by authorities against political opponents or citizens in local disputes.