Salauddin v. State of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home, U.P. Lucknow

Court No. - 14 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 7420 of 2023 Applicant :- Salauddin Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home, U.P. Lucknow Counsel for Applicant :- Ashutosh Bajpai,Manoj Kumar Singh Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Mohd. Faiz Alam Khan,J.

¶1Heard Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, learned counsel for the accused-applicant as well as learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record.

¶2This bail application has been moved by the accused/applicant-Salauddin for grant of bail, in Case Crime No. 214 of 2023, under Sections 8/20 of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, Police Station Motipur, District Bahraich, during trial.

¶3Learned counsel for the accused-applicant while pressing the bail application submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in this case and no contraband as claimed by the prosecution has been recovered from the possession of the applicant.

¶4It is further submitted that the secret information allegedly received from the informer has not been reduced into writing either before or after recovery/arrest of the applicant, thus mandatory provision of Section 42 of N.D.P.S. Act has been violated. It is also submitted that Section 50 of the N.D.P.S. Act has also not been complied in letter and spirit and the right to be searched before the gazetted officer or magistrate has not been communicated as the same was required by established principle of law. It is further submitted that sample has not been taken as required by the provisions as contained under Section 52(A) of the N.D.P.S. Act as well as the guidelines issued by the Department of Revenue in the year 1989.

¶5It is vehemently submitted that no serious efforts have been made by the police party to procure independent public witness and the absence of independent public witness casts a cloud of suspicion over the whole prosecution story. Even if the case of the prosecution, which is highly improbable, is taken on its case, the 'charas' to the tune of 1 kg and 300 grams is shown to have been recovered from the possession of the applicant. However, the above-mentioned recovery is extremely doubtful and moreover, the applicant is in jail in this case for the last 8 months and still, not a single prosecution witness has been testified. Though the chargesheet has already been submitted and it is an admitted case of the prosecution also that the applicant is not having any criminal antecedents. Thus, the twin stringent conditions mentioned under Section 37(1)(b) of the N.D.P.S. Act would not attract in this case.

¶6It is further submitted that the applicant is in jail in this case since 25.4.2023 and he is not having any criminal history. Charge-sheet in this case has already been submitted and there is no apprehension that after being released on bail he may flee from the course of law or may otherwise misuse the liberty.

¶7Learned A.G.A., however, opposes the prayer of bail of the applicant on the ground that the applicant has committed an heinous offence and having regard to the material/evidence available against the applicant, he is not entitled to be released on bail.

¶8Having heard learned counsel for the parties and having perused the record, it is reflected that the applicant is shown to have been apprehended along with other co-accused persons. However, 1 kg and 300 grams of 'charas' is shown to have been recovered from the possession of the applicant. The allegedly recovered 'charas' is shown to have weighed along with its wrappers. It is vehemently submitted on behalf of the applicant that since the contraband is weighed along with its wrapper, the net weight of same would be much lesser than the weight as shown by the prosecution i.e. 1300 grams. Various submissions have been raised by learned counsel for the applicant in order to show that mandatory provisions of the N.D.P.S. Act has been violated and the recovery as shown by the police is highly suspicious and doubtful and could not be believed. Nothing has been shown on behalf of the prosecution, which may persuade this Court to further detain the applicant in jail. Applicant is in jail in this case since 25.4.2023 without any criminal history and the trial has even not started. Presence of the applicant may be secured before the trial court by placing adequate conditions/restrictions.

¶9Having regard to the overall facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view the nature of the offence, evidence, complicity of the accused, severity of punishment, submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, I am of the considered view that applicant has made out a case for bail. The bail application is thus allowed.

¶10Let the accused/applicant-Salauddin involved in above-mentioned case, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned subject to following conditions:-

(i) The applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence by intimidating/pressurizing the witnesses, during the investigation or trial.

(ii) The applicant shall cooperate in the trial sincerely without seeking any adjournment.

(iii) The applicant shall not indulge in any criminal activity or commission of any crime after being released on bail.

¶11In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of bail.

¶12Identity, status and residence proof of the applicant and sureties be verified by the Court concerned before the bonds are accepted.

¶13Observations made herein-above by this court are only for the purpose of disposal of this bail application and shall not be construed as an expression on the merits of the case. Order Date :- 5.12.2023 Shravan High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench