Home Department of Maharashtra Government has set up Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) to combat drug menace and also streamline the action to be taken against peddlers and networks. The ANTF has been constituted as per the directions of the Central Government. Maharashtra ANTF will function under the guidance of Director General of Police (DGP), and will be under the control and monitoring of Additional DGP (CID). The ANTF will be headed by Special Inspector General of Police. The Maharashtra ANTF will have headquarters at CID, Pune. Under an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police at the headquarters, three officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) namely SP (Administration) and SP (ANTF) will function for Pune region, and SP (ANTF) will function for Nagpur region. Thus, the State ANTF will have two regional units -- Pune and Nagpur. As far as Nagpur region is concerned, it will have a wide jurisdiction covering Vidarbha and Marathwada. Under Nagpur ANTF will come Amravati division covering Amravati Rural, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Akola, Washim, and Amravati Commissionerate; Nagpur/Gadchiroli division comprising Nagpur Rural, Wardha, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Aheri, Gondia, and Nagpur Commissionerate. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar division will comprise Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Rural, Jalna, Beed, Osmanabad, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Commissionerate; and Nanded division will comprise Nanded, Latur, Parbhani, and Hingoli districts.

 

The Pune region ANTF will cover Konkan division, Kolhapur division, and Nashik division. Konkan division will comprise Thane Rural, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane Commissionerate, Navi Mumbai Commissionerate, and Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar Commissionerate. Kolhapur division will comprise Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur Rural, Pune Rural, Pune Commissionerate, Pimpri-Chinchwad Commissionerate, and Solapur Commissionerate. Nashi division will cover Nashik Rural, Dhule, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Nandurbar, and Nashik Commissionerate. All these divisional units will be headed by an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (ANTF). Maharashtra ANTF will act as State Secretariat for Narco Co-ordination Centre, and the DGP will be empowered to direct Special Inspector General of Police (ANTF) to investigate cases that are complicated and involve inter-State networks.

 

The ANTF will have several responsibilities ranging from destroying the illegal narcotics trade and smuggling, tracing the source of the narcotics and psychotropic substances, increasing conviction in narcotics cases, effective implementation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, destroying seized drugs as per the legal provisions, prepaaring dossiers of arrested and suspected individuals, taking preventive action under the provisions of Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, imparting training to police officers in the State etc. ANTF units have been asked to submit a monthly report of action taken to the DGP. If required, ANTF may hire professional, special experts and consultative services for the purpose of investigations as per the directions of Special Inspector General of Police.