Ram Prakash vs Narcotics Control Bureau
2021 Latest Caselaw 2773 HP

         IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA.
                                         CrMP(M) No. 676 of 2021
                                       Decided on: April 28, 2021




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    _______________________________________________________________





    Ram Prakash                                   ...........Petitioner
                                   Versus
    Narcotics Control Bureau                         ....Respondent
    _______________________________________________________________





    Coram:
    Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Sharma, Judge.
    Whether approved for reporting? 1No.

    For the Petitioner                     :      Mr. Yashveer             Singh        Rathore,





                                                  Advocate.

    For the Respondent                     :      Mr. Ashwani Pathak, Senior
                                                  Advocate with Mr. Sandeep
                                                  Sharma, Advocate.

                  THROUGH VIDEO-CONFERENCING

    _______________________________________________________________
    Sandeep Sharma, Judge (oral):

Status report/reply in terms of order dated 7.4.2021 is on

record. Learned senior counsel for the respondent Narcotics

Control Bureau states that only one prosecution witness remains

to be examined and, for that purpose, case has been ordered to be

listed on 20.5.2021.

2. Having taken note of the fact that only one prosecution

witness remains to be examined, this Court sees no reason to

accede to the prayer made in the instant petition for grant of bail,

at this stage.

3. Faced with the aforesaid situation, learned Counsel

appearing for the petitioners seeks permission to withdraw the

Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment?

present petition with liberty to file afresh at an appropriate stage.

Ordered accordingly.

.

4. Having taken note of the fact that the petitioner is behind

the bars for more than four years and only one prosecution

witness remains to be examined, this Court hopes and trusts that

learned trial Court would make all out efforts to conclude the trial

on or before 15.6.2021. Learned senior counsel appearing for the

respondent Narcotics Control Bureau undertakes before this Court

to ensure that the remaining witness, in any eventuality, is

produced before learned trial Court on 20.5.2021, enabling learned

trial court to record the statement of aforesaid witness and

conclude the trial well within the time stipulated by this Court.

5. Needless to say, this Court apart from issuing directions on

judicial side, has been also directing learned Courts below on

administrative side to expeditiously conclude trials of under-trials,

who are behind bars for considerable period, so that their freedom

is not curtailed for an indefinite period. Learned Counsel appearing

for the parties undertake to apprise learned trial Court with regard

to passing of instant judgment, enabling it to do the needful within

the time stipulated above.

(Sandeep Sharma) Judge April 28, 2021 (vikrant)