In a revised guideline, the home ministry said an officer involved in seizure of drugs was eligible for Rs 20 lakh reward during his entire career and Rs 50,000 at a time. However, a maximum reward of Rs 2 lakh may also be given to an individual, in exceptional cases, by the Apex Central Rewards Committee.
Up to 50 per cent of the total admissible reward amount can be given at pre-trial stage i.e. if the test report from the chemical lab turns positive, it said.
According to 'Guidelines for Grant of Rewards to be paid to Officers, Informers and other persons, 2017', the reward sanctioning authority should consider factors like accuracy of the information, degree of risk involved, extent and nature of the help rendered by the informer and whether the information also gave clues of the person involved in the drug trafficking racket.
The Narcotics Control Bureau, under the home ministry, has been made the coordinating agency to process the reward proposal of other central and state agencies, working in the field of drug interdiction.
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It also excludes any work done by an officer in his normal course of duty.
As per the new guidelines, the reward scheme will be made applicable to informers whose information leads to seizure of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, controlled substances, forfeiture of illegally acquired property under chapter V A of the NDPS Act and contravention of rules made there under.
Officials of other central, state governments and UT administrations who assist in the seizure of drugs will also be eligible for the honour.
New drugs and psychotropic substances have also been included in the revised reward policy.
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