Punjab-Haryana High Court

Kuldeep Singh vs State Of Punjab on 24 April, 2024

                                                  Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:055618

‭CRM-M-17626-2024‬                                                           ‭2024:PHHC:055618‬
                                                                                          ‭-‬‭1‭-‬ ‬


                 ‭IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA‬
                               ‭AT CHANDIGARH‬
‭203‬
                                                                       ‭ RM-M-17626-2024‬
                                                                       C
                                                                       ‭Date of decision: 24.04.2024‬

‭Kuldeep Singh‬
                                                                                              ‭....Petitioner‬
                                           ‭Versus‬

‭State of Punjab‬
                                                                                            ‭...Respondent‬

‭CORAM:‬ ‭HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMAN CHAUDHARY‬ ‭*****‬ ‭Present :‬ ‭Mr. H.S. Bhogal, Advocate for the petitioner.‬

‭Mr. Manipal Singh Atwal, DAG, Punjab.‬ ‭*****‬ ‭AMAN CHAUDHARY. J (Oral)‬

‭1.‬ ‭Prayer‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭present‬ ‭petition‬ ‭filed‬ ‭under‬ ‭Section‬ ‭439‬ ‭Cr.P.C.‬ ‭is‬ ‭for‬

‭grant‬ ‭of‬ ‭regular‬ ‭bail‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭in‬ ‭case‬ ‭FIR‬ ‭No.171,‬ ‭dated‬ ‭04.09.2022,‬

‭registered‬ ‭under‬ ‭Sections‬ ‭22‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭NDPS‬ ‭Act,‬ ‭1985‬ ‭at‬ ‭Police‬ ‭Station‬ ‭Tibba,‬

‭District‬‭Ludhiana.‬

‭2.‬ ‭Learned‬‭counsel‬‭contends‬‭that‬‭the‬‭petitioner‬‭is‬‭in‬‭custody‬‭for‬‭the‬‭last‬

‭1‬‭year‬‭and‬‭more‬‭than‬‭7‬‭months.‬‭He‬‭was‬‭falsely‬‭implicated‬‭in‬‭the‬‭case.‬‭The‬‭alleged‬

‭recovery‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭from‬ ‭his‬ ‭conscious‬‭possession,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭bag‬‭that‬‭was‬‭recovered‬‭had‬

‭been‬ ‭thrown‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭road.‬ ‭There‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭delay‬ ‭of‬ ‭11‬ ‭days‬ ‭in‬ ‭sending‬ ‭samples‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬

‭FSL.‬ ‭The‬ ‭mandatory‬ ‭provisions‬ ‭of‬ ‭Sections‬ ‭42‬ ‭and‬ ‭50‬ ‭of‬ ‭NDPS‬ ‭Act‬ ‭were‬ ‭not‬

‭complied‬ ‭with.‬ ‭Charges‬ ‭were‬ ‭framed‬ ‭in‬ ‭this‬ ‭case‬ ‭on‬ ‭23.03.2023,‬ ‭however,‬ ‭none‬

‭out‬ ‭of‬ ‭16‬ ‭prosecution‬ ‭witnesses‬ ‭have‬ ‭been‬ ‭examined,‬ ‭though‬ ‭5‬ ‭have‬ ‭been‬ ‭given‬

‭up.‬‭The‬‭petitioner‬‭is‬‭involved‬‭in‬‭other‬‭cases‬‭under‬‭the‬‭NDPS‬‭Act,‬‭wherein‬‭he‬‭is‬‭on‬

‭bail‬ ‭in‬ ‭one.‬ ‭Reliance‬ ‭is‬ ‭placed‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬‭judgment‬‭of‬‭Hon'ble‬‭the‬‭Supreme‬‭Court‬‭in‬

‭Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi vs. State of U.P. and others‬‭,‬‭2012(2) SCC 382‬‭. ‬

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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:055618

‭CRM-M-17626-2024‬ ‭2024:PHHC:055618‬ ‭-‬‭2‭-‬ ‬ ‭3.‬ ‭The‬ ‭custody‬ ‭certificate‬ ‭dated‬ ‭23.04.2024,‬ ‭filed‬ ‭by‬ ‭learned‬ ‭State‬

‭counsel‬‭is‬‭taken‬‭on‬‭record,‬‭as‬‭per‬‭which,‬‭the‬‭petitioner‬‭is‬‭behind‬‭bars‬‭for‬‭1‬‭year,‬‭7‬

‭months and 21 days.‬

‭4.‬ ‭Learned‬‭State‬‭counsel‬‭opposes‬‭the‬‭bail‬‭on‬‭the‬‭ground‬‭that‬‭commercial‬

‭quantity‬‭of‬‭contraband‬‭was‬‭recovered‬‭from‬‭the‬‭petitioner,‬‭who‬‭was‬‭apprehended‬‭at‬

‭the‬ ‭spot‬ ‭and‬ ‭is‬ ‭also‬ ‭involved‬ ‭in‬ ‭other‬ ‭cases‬ ‭under‬ ‭the‬‭NDPS‬‭Act.‬‭He‬‭is‬‭however‬

‭unable‬ ‭to‬ ‭controvert‬ ‭the‬ ‭submissions‬ ‭made‬ ‭regarding‬ ‭the‬ ‭stage‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭and‬

‭petitioner being on bail in one case.‬

‭5.‬ ‭Heard.‬

‭6.‬ ‭Hon'ble‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭Court‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭Maulana‬ ‭Mohd.‬ ‭Amir‬

‭Rashadi‬ ‭(supra)‬ ‭had‬ ‭held‬ ‭that,‬ ‭"As‬ ‭observed‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭High‬ ‭Court,‬ ‭merely‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬

‭basis‬ ‭of‬ ‭criminal‬ ‭antecedents,‬ ‭the‬ ‭claim‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭second‬ ‭respondent‬ ‭cannot‬ ‭be‬

‭rejected.‬ ‭In‬ ‭other‬ ‭words,‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭duty‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Court‬ ‭to‬ ‭find‬ ‭out‬ ‭the‬ ‭role‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬

‭accused‬‭in‬‭the‬‭case‬‭in‬‭which‬‭he‬‭has‬‭been‬‭charged‬‭and‬‭other‬‭circumstances‬‭such‬‭as‬

‭possibility of fleeing away from the jurisdiction of the Court etc."‬

‭7.‬ ‭Hon'ble‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭Court‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭Dheeraj‬ ‭Kumar‬ ‭Shukla‬

‭vs.‬ ‭The‬ ‭State‬ ‭of‬ ‭Uttar‬ ‭Pradesh‬‭,‬ ‭SLP‬ ‭(Criminal)‬ ‭No.6690/2022‬ ‭decided‬ ‭on‬

‭25.01.2023‬ ‭observed‬ ‭that‬ ‭in‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭long‬ ‭custody‬ ‭period,‬ ‭involving‬ ‭quantity‬

‭recovered‬‭to‬‭be‬‭of‬‭commercial‬‭nature,‬‭where‬‭the‬‭trial‬‭is‬‭yet‬‭to‬‭commence,‬‭though‬

‭charges‬ ‭had‬ ‭been‬ ‭framed,‬ ‭the‬ ‭condition‬ ‭of‬ ‭Section‬ ‭37‬ ‭of‬ ‭NDPS‬ ‭Act‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬

‭dispensed‬ ‭with.‬ ‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭Bhupender‬ ‭Singh‬ ‭vs.‬ ‭Narcotic‬ ‭Control‬ ‭Bureau‬

‭(2022)‬‭2‬‭RCR‬‭(Crl.)‬‭706,‬‭the‬‭Division‬‭Bench‬‭of‬‭this‬‭Court‬‭observed‬‭with‬‭regard‬‭to‬

‭achieving‬‭balance‬‭between‬‭right‬‭to‬‭speedy‬‭trial‬‭guaranteed‬‭under‬‭Article‬‭21‬‭of‬‭the‬

‭Constitution‬‭of‬‭India‬‭and‬‭rigors‬‭of‬‭Section‬‭37‬‭of‬‭NDPS‬‭Act.‬‭Similarly,‬‭in‬‭the‬‭case‬

‭of‬ ‭Shariful‬ ‭Islam‬ ‭@‬ ‭Sarif‬ ‭vs.‬ ‭The‬ ‭State‬ ‭of‬ ‭West‬ ‭Bengal‬ ‭SLP‬ ‭(Crl.)‬

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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:055618

‭CRM-M-17626-2024‬ ‭2024:PHHC:055618‬ ‭-‬‭3‭-‬ ‬ ‭No.4173/2022,‬‭decided‬‭on‬‭04.08.2022,‬‭Hon'ble‬‭the‬‭Supreme‬‭Court‬‭granted‬‭bail‬‭to‬

‭the‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭in‬ ‭a‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭recovery‬ ‭of‬ ‭commercial‬ ‭quantity‬ ‭of‬ ‭contraband,‬

‭considering‬ ‭incarceration‬ ‭for‬ ‭over‬ ‭1‬ ‭year‬ ‭and‬ ‭6‬ ‭months‬ ‭and‬ ‭there‬ ‭being‬ ‭no‬

‭likelihood‬ ‭of‬ ‭completion‬ ‭of‬ ‭trial‬‭in‬‭the‬‭near‬‭future.‬‭In‬‭the‬‭case‬‭of‬‭Munasi‬‭Masih‬

‭vs.‬ ‭State‬ ‭of‬ ‭Punjab‬‭,‬ ‭CRM-M-31504-2022,‬ ‭decided‬ ‭on‬ ‭06.02.2023,‬ ‭this‬ ‭Court‬

‭granted‬‭bail‬‭to‬‭a‬‭first‬‭offender‬‭from‬‭whom‬‭commercial‬‭quantity‬‭of‬‭contraband‬‭had‬

‭been‬‭recovered‬‭and‬‭only‬‭2‬‭out‬‭of‬‭13‬‭PWs ‬‭have‬‭been‬‭examined,‬‭by‬‭observing‬‭that‬

‭in‬‭view‬‭of‬‭delayed‬‭trial,‬‭the‬‭rigors‬‭of‬‭Section‬‭37‬‭of‬‭NDPS‬‭Act‬‭can‬‭be‬‭diluted‬‭to‬‭an‬

‭extent‬‭and‬‭the‬‭petitioner‬‭can‬‭be‬‭granted‬‭bail,‬‭keeping‬‭in‬‭mind‬‭the‬‭right‬‭to‬‭a‬‭speedy‬

‭trial as envisaged Article 21 of the Constitution of India.‬

‭8.‬ ‭Keeping‬‭in‬‭view‬‭the‬‭facts‬‭and‬‭circumstances‬‭of‬‭the‬‭case,‬‭in‬‭particular‬

‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭is‬ ‭in‬ ‭custody‬ ‭for‬ ‭last‬ ‭1‬ ‭year,‬ ‭7‬ ‭months‬ ‭and‬‭21‬‭days;‬‭on‬‭bail‬‭in‬

‭one‬ ‭case‬ ‭under‬ ‭NDPS‬ ‭Act;‬ ‭charges‬ ‭were‬ ‭framed‬ ‭on‬‭23.03.2023;‬‭out‬‭of‬‭a‬‭total‬‭of‬

‭16‬‭prosecution‬‭witnesses,‬‭none‬‭has‬‭been‬‭examined‬‭so‬‭far‬‭;‬‭the‬‭trial‬‭is‬‭likely‬‭to‬‭take‬

‭a‬ ‭considerable‬ ‭time,‬ ‭thus‬ ‭his‬ ‭further‬ ‭incarceration‬ ‭would‬‭be‬‭violative‬‭of‬‭his‬‭right‬

‭enshrined‬‭under‬‭Article‬‭21‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Constitution‬‭of‬‭India‬‭and‬‭the‬‭rigors‬‭of‬‭Section‬‭37‬

‭of‬ ‭NDPS‬ ‭Act‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭diluted‬ ‭bearing‬ ‭in‬ ‭mind‬‭the‬‭right‬‭to‬‭a‬‭speedy‬‭trial,‬‭thus,‬‭the‬

‭present petition for grant of regular bail deserves to be allowed.‬

‭9.‬ ‭As‬ ‭a‬ ‭result,‬ ‭the‬ ‭present‬ ‭petition‬ ‭is‬‭allowed.‬‭The‬‭petitioner‬‭is‬‭ordered‬

‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭released‬ ‭on‬ ‭regular‬ ‭bail,‬ ‭subject‬ ‭to‬ ‭his‬ ‭furnishing‬ ‭bail/surety‬ ‭bonds‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬

‭satisfaction‬ ‭of‬ ‭trial‬ ‭Court/Duty‬‭Magistrate‬‭concerned‬‭and‬‭subject‬‭to‬‭his‬‭not‬‭being‬

‭required in any other case. The petitioner shall abide by the following conditions:-‬

‭(i)‬ ‭ he‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭will‬ ‭not‬ ‭tamper‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭during‬ ‭the‬ T ‭trial.‬ ‭(ii)‬ ‭ he‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭will‬ ‭not‬ ‭pressurize/‬ ‭intimidate‬ ‭the‬ ‭prosecution‬ T ‭witnesses.‬

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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:055618

‭CRM-M-17626-2024‬ ‭2024:PHHC:055618‬ ‭-‬‭4‭-‬ ‬ ‭(iii)‬ T‭ he‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭will‬ ‭appear‬ ‭before‬ ‭the‬ ‭trial‬ ‭Court‬ ‭on‬ ‭each‬ ‭and‬ ‭every‬ ‭date‬ ‭fixed,‬ ‭unless‬ ‭is‬ ‭exempted‬ ‭by‬ ‭a‬ ‭specific‬ ‭order‬ ‭of‬ ‭Court.‬ ‭(iv)‬ T‭ he‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭shall‬ ‭not‬ ‭commit‬ ‭an‬ ‭offence‬ ‭similar‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭offence‬‭of‬‭which,‬‭he‬‭is‬‭an‬‭accused,‬‭or‬‭for‬‭commission‬‭of‬‭which‬ ‭he is suspected of.‬ ‭(v)‬ ‭ he‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭shall‬ ‭not‬ ‭directly‬ ‭or‬ ‭indirectly‬ ‭coerce,‬ ‭induce,‬ T ‭threaten‬ ‭or‬ ‭promise‬ ‭to‬ ‭any‬‭person‬‭acquainted‬‭with‬‭the‬‭facts‬‭of‬ ‭the‬‭case‬‭so‬‭as‬‭to‬‭dissuade‬‭him/her‬‭from‬‭disclosing‬‭such‬‭facts‬‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭Court‬ ‭or‬ ‭to‬ ‭any‬ ‭police‬ ‭officer‬‭or‬‭tamper‬‭with‬‭the‬‭evidence‬ ‭in any manner.‬ ‭(vi)‬ ‭The petitioner shall not in any manner misuse his liberty.‬ ‭(vii)‬ ‭The‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭shall‬ ‭furnish‬ ‭his‬ ‭address‬ ‭and‬ ‭mobile‬‭number‬‭to‬ ‭the‬‭Trial‬‭Court‬‭forthwith‬‭and‬‭shall‬‭not‬‭change‬‭the‬‭same‬‭till‬‭the‬ ‭conclusion‬‭of‬‭the‬‭trial‬‭and‬‭in‬‭case‬‭for‬‭any‬‭reason,‬‭the‬‭petitioner‬ ‭seeks‬ ‭to‬ ‭change‬ ‭any‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭aforesaid,‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬ ‭shall‬ ‭be‬ ‭done‬ ‭only‬‭with‬‭prior‬‭intimation‬‭to‬‭the‬‭learned‬‭Trial‬‭Court,‬‭stating‬‭the‬ ‭reason for the same.‬ ‭(viii)‬ ‭The‬ ‭petitioner‬ ‭shall‬ ‭not‬ ‭leave‬ ‭the‬ ‭country‬ ‭without‬ ‭prior‬ ‭permission of the trial Court.‬ ‭(ix)‬ T‭ he‬ ‭trial‬ ‭Court/Duty‬ ‭Magistrate‬ ‭may‬ ‭impose‬ ‭any‬ ‭other‬ ‭condition, as deemed appropriate while releasing the petitioner.‬

‭10.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭made‬ ‭abundantly‬ ‭clear‬ ‭that‬ ‭in‬ ‭case‬ ‭there‬ ‭is‬ ‭any‬ ‭breach‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬

‭aforesaid‬ ‭conditions,‬ ‭the‬ ‭State‬ ‭shall‬ ‭be‬ ‭at‬ ‭liberty‬ ‭to‬ ‭seek‬ ‭cancellation‬ ‭of‬ ‭bail‬ ‭as‬

‭granted to the petitioner by this order.‬

‭11.‬ ‭In‬‭view‬‭of‬‭the‬‭above,‬‭it‬‭is‬‭clarified‬‭that‬‭the‬‭observations‬‭made‬‭herein‬

‭are‬ ‭limited‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬‭purpose‬‭of‬‭present‬‭proceedings‬‭and‬‭would‬‭not‬‭be‬‭construed‬‭as‬

‭an‬‭opinion‬‭on‬‭the‬‭merits‬‭of‬‭the‬‭case‬‭and‬‭the‬‭trial‬‭would‬‭proceed‬‭independently‬‭of‬

‭the aforesaid observations.‬

‭(AMAN CHAUDHARY)‬ ‭JUDGE‬ 2‭ 4.04.2024‬ ‭Hemant‬ ‭Whether speaking/reasoned‬ ‭:‬ ‭Yes / No‬ ‭Whether reportable‬ ‭:‬ ‭Yes / No‬

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