The Chhattisgarh High Court recently acquitted five men in a case involving the seizure of 833 kilos of ganja, slamming the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for 'casual' investigation and ordering a departmental inquiry. The court found that the investigation suffered from serious lapses, including failure to prepare proceedings at the place of interception, non-compliance with the statutory requirements under the NDPS Act, and serious deficiencies in the search, seizure, sampling and sealing process. The court also found that the prime accused had escaped from DRI custody, which reflected a complete collapse of vigilance, supervision and institutional discipline within the agency. The court directed the registry to immediately forward a copy of the judgment to the Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, New Delhi, and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the conduct of all officers who supervised the investigation. The court also asked the DRI chief to strengthen supervisory mechanisms and organize periodic training programs for its officers.