Labh Singh v. State of Punjab

216o o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo ****o ooooCRM-M-8155-2023o(O&M)o oooooDateoofoDecision:o07.08.2023o o LabhoSingho o o o o o o o o o …Petitionero o Versuso StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o o o o …Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oPeeushoGagneja,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioner.o o o o Mr.oHarjinderoSinghoSidhu,oA.A.G.,oPunjab.o o o o o o ****o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.oo o

1.o o Petitionero(LabhoSingh)ohasofiledothisopetitionounderoSectiono 439oofotheoCodeoofoCriminaloProcedureoseekingograntooforegularobailoinocaseo FIRo No.0103o datedo 10.07.2022,o undero Sectionso 22(c)o ando 22(a)o oftheo Narcotico Drugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Act,o 1985o (foro shorto `theo NDPSoAct'),o(ChallanopresentedounderoSectionso22A/22C/29oofotheoNDPSo Act),oregisteredoatoPoliceoStationoGidderbaha,oDistrictoSrioMuktsaroSahib.oo

2.o o StatusoreportobyowayoofoanoaffidavitoofoSh.oJasbiroSingh,oPPS,o Deputyo Superintendento ofo Police,o Sub-Divisiono Gidderbaha,o Districtooooooooooooooooooooo SrioMuktsaroSahib,oonobehalfooforespondent-StateoofoPunjab,ohasobeenofiled,o whichoisoalreadyoonorecord.o o o o o o o ooooooooooo

3.o o Custodyo certificateo datedo 06.05.2023,o ofo theo petitionero haso beenofiledoobyoolearnedooStateoocounsel,owhichooisotakenoonorecord,osubjectotoo allojustoexceptions.o

4.o o Succinctly,otheoafore-saidocaseoFIRohasobeenoregisteredoonotheo basiso ofo ruqao sento byo Subo Inspectoro Gurlalo Singh,o Policeo Stationo Gidderbaha,owherein,oitoisostatedothatoono10.07.2022,oheoalongowithoothero fellowo employeeso waso presento ino theo policeo stationo wheno oneo writteno informationowasoreceivedofromoASIoRaghbiroSingh,owhoohadostatedothato whileoheo(ASIoRaghbiroSingh)oalongowithofellowoemployeesowasopresento nearotheoparkoofoVillageoGidderbaha,oinoaoprivateovehicleoforopatrollingoando checkingoofosuspects,othenoonoaccountoofotheostreetobeingocongested,otheyo parkedotheocaronearotheoparkoandotheyowereogoingoonofootoinotheostreetoando fromo theo oppositeo side,o oneo mano ando ao woman,o whoo wereo holdingo oneo polytheneobagoeachoinotheirohandsoandoonoseeingotheopoliceoparty,otheyothrewo theopolytheneobagsoheldoinotheirohandsoandoturnedoback,ohowever,otheyowereo apprehendedobyotheopoliceopartyoonotheobasisoofosuspicion.oUponoenquiringo aboutotheiroparticulars,otheomanoisostatedotoohaveotoldohisonameoasoLabho Singho (petitioner)o ando theo womano toldo hero nameo aso Parwindero Kauro @o BeantoKaurowifeoofoLabhoSingh.oBothotheosaidopersonsowereostatedotoobeo husbandoandowife.oItoisostatedoinotheoruqaothatowhenotheoafore-saidoASIo Raghbiro Singho wento nearo theo transparento polytheneo bagso throwno byo theo afore-saidoapprehendedopersonsothenofromobothotheobags,ostripsoofomedicineso wereo clearlyo visible.o Accordingly,o ono theo basiso ofo suspiciono ofo havingo intoxicatingotablets,otheocompetentoofficerowasocalledoatotheospot.oOnoreceipto ofotheoafore-saidoinformationoinotheopoliceostation,otheoSuboInspectoroGurlalo Singh,omadeonecessaryoentriesoinotheoroznamchaoandoproceededotootheospoto alongo witho theo policeo party;o whereo ASIo Raghbiro Singho alongo witho theo apprehendedopersonsoandotheostripsoofotabletsoinotheotransparentopolytheneo bags,owereopresent.oAfterofollowingotheoprocess,otheosearchowasoconducted.o FromotheotransparentopolytheneobagsoallegedlyothrownobyoParwinderoKaur,o threeostripso(eachocontainingo15otablets,ototalo45otabletsoandooneotrimmedo strip,ocontainingo5otablets,othusototalo50otabletsomarkoEtizolamoTabletsoIPo Etizolaoti.5,owhoseobatchonumberoisoB.No.KECo2202oA,oMFGo03/2022,oExp.o 02/2025,o wereo recovered.o Similarlyo fromo theo transparento polytheneo bago thrownobyoLabhoSingho(petitioner),o06ostripso(inoeachostripo10/10otablets),o totalo 60o tablets;o marko ALPRASAFEo 0.5o Alprazolemo tabletso IPo 0.5o mg,o whoseobatchonumberoisoPCCAAo691,oMFGoDATEo07/2020,oEXPIRYoDATEo 06/2023,o wereo recovered.o Theo personalo searcho ofo Parwindero Kauro waso conductedo througho ladyo Constableo Lovepreeto Kaur;o however,o noo othero intoxicatingosubstanceooroobjectionableoarticlesowereofound,oapartofromo06o notesoofoRupeeso100/-,ototaloRs.600/-.oFromotheopersonalosearchoofoLabho Singho(petitioner),onoootherointoxicatingosubstanceooroobjectionableoarticleo wasofound,oexceptooneonoteoofoRs.100/-.oo

5.o o Accordingly,o theo FIRo ino questiono waso registeredo ando theo accusedowereoarrested.o

6.o o Aso pero theo statuso report,o theo sampleso ofo theo recoveredo contrabando wereo sento too theo Forensico Scienceo Laboratory,o Bathinda,o foro analysis;owhereupon,otheoFSLoreportodatedo16.08.2022o(AnnexureoR/1)owaso received,otheorelevantoextractothereoforeadsoasoundero:-o "6.oArticlesoreceivedo:oTwooparcelsomarkedoaso1oando2oino theoolaboratory.oParcelo1owasoallegedotoobeoseizedofromo S/voParwinderoKauroandoparcelo2owasoallegedotoobeoseizedo fromoS/voLabhoSingh.oEachoparcelowasosealedowithooneo sealoofoAKoandoallegedotoocontainointoxicatingotablets.o Sealoonotheoparcelowasofoundointactoandotalliedowithotheo Onoopeningotheoparcelso1oando2owereofoundotoocontainotheo followingo:o Parcelo1o:oFifteeno(15)owhiteocolouredotabletsoinoaostripo labeledoasoEtizolaoti.5oEtizolamotabletsoIPobearingoBatcho No.KE2202A,oMfg.o03/2022,oExp.o02/2025.o Averageoweighto?o56.97omg/tableto Parcelo 2o :o Twentyo (20)o peacho colouredo tabletso ino twoo strips,o eacho stripo labeledo aso Alprasafeo 0.5,o Alprazolamo tabletso IPo 0.5o mg.o bearingo Batcho No.PCCAA691o Mfg.o 07/2020,oExp.o06/2023o Avg.o124.63otabletoo

7.o Purposeooforeferenceo:oAnalysisoandoreporto

8.o Identificationo&oTestso:o Ingrediento Averageoquantityoofoingrediento presento presentoinoparcelso o Parcelo1o Parcelo2o o Etizolamo 0.49omg./tableto o o Alprazolamo o 0.48omg./tableto o o o o o REPORTo o o Theotabletsocontainedoinotheoparcelso1oando2oundero referenceohaveobeenoanalysedoseparatelyobyotheochemical,o TLCoandoinstrumentaloanalysis.oOnotheobasisoofoanalysis,o theoingredientsoalongwithotheiroquantitiesofoundopresentoino parcelso1oando2ohaveobeenogivenoatoSr.No.8o(identificationo andotests)oofothisoreport."o o o

7.o o Theo petitionero appliedo foro regularo bailo beforeo theo Courto ofo learnedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge,oSrioMuktsaroSahib;ohowever,otheosameo waso dismissedo video ordero datedo 26.08.2022.o Accordingly,o theo presento petitionohasobeenofiledobeforeothisoCourt.o

8.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatotheopetitioneroiso innocentoandohasofalselyobeenoimplicatedoinotheopresentocaseoasonoooffenceo (asoalleged)ohasobeenocommittedobyohim.oItoisosubmittedothatotheopetitionero ando hiso wifeo (co-accused)o areo havingo threeo childreno (twoo sonso ando oneo daughter),ooutoofowhich,ooneoelderosonoisoaodrugoaddictoandowasoadmittedoino APURVA theoRe-habilitationoCentreoatoSrioGanganagaroandootherotwoochildrenoareo minorsoandowithotheoarrestoofotheopetitioneroasowelloasohisowife,othereoisonoo oneotoolookoafterotheominorochildren.o

9.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatotheoprovisionoofo theoNDPSoActohaveonotobeenocompliedowithoandoaojointoRecoveyoMemoohaso beenowronglyopreparedoinothisocase,oalthoughoasoperotheoForensicoScienceo LaboratoryoReport,otwooparcelsohaveobeenoexaminedoandobothotheoparcelso areo statedo too haveo beeno recoveredo fromo petitionero ando Parmindero Kaur,o separately.oLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerofurtheroreliesouponotechnicalo opiniono datedo 02.11.2022o (Annexureo P-8)o ino thiso case,o whicho readso aso under:-o "InoreferenceotoosubjectocitedoitoisostatedothatoIohaveoseenotheo copyo ofo FSLo reporto ino theo presento case.o Aso pero lettero No.o 2030-5Ao datedo 21.10.2022,o 50o tabletso ofo ETIZOLAo 0.5o (Etizolamotabletsoti.5omg)oando60otabletsoofoALPRASAFEo-0.5o (AlprazolamoTabletsoI.Poti.5omg)ohaveobeenorecovered.oAsopero FSLo report,o eacho tableto ofo ETEZOLAo 0.5o containso drugo Etizolamowhichoisoaopsychotropicosubstanceohenceocoveredo underoN.D.P.SoActo1985.oAsoperoFSLoreport,oaverageoweighto ofoETEZOLAoti.5otabletoiso56.27mgoandototaloweightoofo50o tabletsoiso2.84gm.oItoisoaboveocommercialoquantity.oAsopero FSLoreport,oeachotabletoofoALPRASAFEo-0.5ocontainsodrugo Alprazolamowhichoisoaopsychotropicosubstanceohenceocoveredo underoN.D.P.SoActo1985.oAsoperoFSLoreport,oaverageoweighto ofoofoALPRASAFEo-0.5otabletoiso124.63mgoandototaloweightoofo 60otabletsoiso7.47gm.oItoisomoreothanosmalloquantityobutolesso thanocommercialoquantity.o Note:o1.oThisoisoonlyoaotechnicaloopinion,olegaloopinionocanobeo takenofromoDistrictoAttorney.o

2.o Drugo Inspector/Drugso Controlo Officero haso noto beeno notifiedounderoN.D.P.SoAct,o1985."o o

10.oooooooooWhileoreferringotootheoaboveoextractedotechnicaloreport,olearnedo counselo foro theo petitionero submitso thato ino caseo theo recoveryo allegedlyo effectedofromotheopetitioneroaloneoisoseenothenotheosameofallsoinotheocategoryo ofo"IntermediateoQuantity".oItoisofurtherosubmittedothatotheopetitioneroisoino custodyosinceo10.07.2022;otheoinvestigationoinothisocaseoisocompleteoandotheo challanostandsopresented,owhereinototalo13owitnessesohaveobeenocited,othuso trialoisolikelyotootakeotimeotooconclude.oItoisosubmittedothatotheopetitioneroiso notoinvolvedoinoanyootherocaseounderotheoNDPSoActoandoheoisoreadyotooabideo byoanyoconditionoasomayobeoimposedobyothisoCourtoorobyotheotrialoCourt,o accordinglyoprayerofororegularobailoisomade.o

11.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateoCounselohasoopposedotheoprayeroofo petitioneroforograntooforegularobailoonotheogroundoofoseriousnessoandogravityo ofotheooffence.oWhileoreferringotootheostatusoreport,olearnedoStateocounselo haso submittedo thato theo recoveredo contrabando fallso withino theo ambito ofo "CommercialoQuantity"oandothusobarounderoSectiono37oofoNDPSoActowouldo beoattracted.oLearnedoStateocounselosubmitsothatoinocaseotheopetitioneroiso releasedoonobailothenoheomightoinfluenceotheowitnessesoandoalsooabscondoando delayotheotrial.oAccordingly,oprayeroforodismissaloofotheopresentopetitionohaso beenomade.o

12.o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandohaveoperusedo theopaperobook,ostatusoreport,ocustodyocertificateoofotheopetitionerowithotheiro ableoassistance.o

13.o o Ino theo instanto case,o theo recoveredo contrabando fallso ino theo categoryoofo"CommercialoQuantity".oTheoissueoraisedobyocounseloforotheo petitionerothatoallegedorecoveryoeffectedofromotheopetitioneroaloneoisotoobeo consideredoandonototheocollectiveototalorecoveryoeffectedofromopetitioneroando hisoco-accusedobyopreparingoaojointoRecoveryoMemooshallobeosubjectomattero ofotrial.o

14.o o Sinceo theo recoveredo contrabando fallso ino categoryo ofo "CommercialoQuantity",othusobarounderoSectiono37oofotheoNarcoticoDrugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Acto iso attracted.o Sectiono 37o ibido readso aso under:-o S.37o "Offenceso too beo cognizableo ando non-bailable.—(1)o Notwithstandingo anythingo containedo ino theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedureo1973o(2oofo1974),—oo

(a)oeveryooffenceopunishableounderothisoActoshallobeocognizable;o

(b)onoopersonoaccusedoofoanooffenceopunishableoforo[offencesoundero sectiono 19o oro sectiono 24o oro sectiono 27Ao ando alsoo foro offenceso involvingocommercialoquantity]oshallobeoreleasedoonobailooroonohiso ownobondounless—oo

(i)otheoPublicoProsecutorohasobeenogivenoanoopportunityotooopposeo theoapplicationoforosuchorelease,oando

(ii)owhereotheoPublicoProsecutoroopposesotheoapplication,otheocourto isosatisfiedothatothereoareoreasonableogroundsoforobelievingothatoheo isonotoguiltyoofosuchooffenceoandothatoheoisonotolikelyotoocommitoanyo offenceowhileoonobail.o

(2)oTheolimitationsoonograntingoofobailospecifiedoinoclauseo(b)oofo sub-sectiono(1)oareoinoadditionotootheolimitationsounderotheoCodeoofo CriminaloProcedure,o1973o(2oofo1974)ooroanyootherolawoforotheo timeobeingoinoforceoonograntingoofobail."o

15.o o Theo Apexo Courto ino "Uniono ofo Indiao vs.o Rattano Malliko @o Habul",o 2009o (1)o R.C.R.o (Criminal)o 938,o hado observedo thato wheno ano accusedo iso arrestedo ino ao caseo undero Narcotico Drugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Act,o granto ofo bailo too sucho accusedo iso noto onlyo subjecto too limitationsoimposedounderoSectiono439oofotheoCriminaloProcedureoCode,o 1973,o ito iso alsoo subjecto too theo restrictionso placedo byo sub-clauseo (b)o ofooooooooooooooooo sub-sectiono (1)o ofo Sectiono 37o ofo theo Narcotico Drugso ando Psychotropico SubstancesoActoandotheoaccusedowillobeograntedobailoonlyoifotheoCourtoiso satisfiedothatothereoisoreasonableogroundoforobelievingothatoaccusedowasonoto guiltyoofooffenceoandoheowasonotolikelyotoocommitoanooffenceounderoNarcotico DrugsoandoPsychotropicoSubstancesoActowhileoonobail.oInothatoway,obailo couldobeogranted,oifomandatoryoprovisionsoofoSectiono37oofoNarcoticoDrugso andoPsychotropicoSubstancesoActoareosatisfied.o o o o ooooooooooo

16.o o Ino "Stateo ofo Keralao etc.o vs.o Rajesho etc.",o 2020(1)o R.C.R.o (Criminal)o818,oHon'bleotheoApexoCourtohadoobservedoasounder:o "19.o Thiso Courto haso laido downo broado parameterso too beo followedowhileoconsideringotheoapplicationoforobailomovedobyo theoaccusedoinvolvedoinooffencesounderoNDPSoAct.oInoUniono ofoIndiaov.oRamoSamujhoandoOrs.o1999(4)oRCRo(Criminal)o 93o:o1999(9)oSCCo429,oitohasobeenoelaboratedoasounder:-oo o"7.oItoisotoobeoborneoinomindothatotheoaforesaidolegislativeo mandateoisorequiredotoobeoadheredotooandofollowed.oItoshouldo beoborneoinomindothatoinoaomurderocase,otheoaccusedocommitso murderoofooneoorotwoopersons,owhileothoseopersonsowhooareo dealingoinonarcoticodrugsoareoinstrumentaloinocausingodeatho oro ino inflictingo death-blowo too ao numbero ofo innocento youngo victims,owhooareovulnerable;oitocausesodeleteriousoeffectsoando ao deadlyo impacto ono theo society;o theyo areo ao hazardo too theo society;o eveno ifo theyo areo releasedo temporarily,o ino allo probability,otheyowouldocontinueotheironefariousoactivitiesoofo traffickingo and/oro dealingo ino intoxicantso clandestinely.o Reasonomayobeolargeostakeoandoillegaloprofitoinvolved.oThiso Court,odealingowithotheocontentionowithoregardotoopunishmento undero theo NDPSo Act,o haso succinctlyo observedo abouto theo adverseoeffectoofosuchoactivitiesoinoDurandoDidierov.oChiefo Secy.,oUnionoTerritoryoofoGoao[1989(2)oRCRo(Criminal)o505o :o(1990)o1oSCCo95)]oasounder:o o o o o oo 24.o Witho deepo concern,o weo mayo pointo outo thato theo organisedo activitieso ofo theo underworldo ando theo clandestineo smugglingoofonarcoticodrugsoandopsychotropicosubstancesointoo thiso countryo ando illegalo traffickingo ino sucho drugso ando substanceso haveo ledo too drugo addictiono amongo ao sizeableo sectiono ofo theo public,o particularlyo theo adolescentso ando studentsoofobothosexesoandotheomenaceohasoassumedoseriouso andoalarmingoproportionsoinotheorecentoyears.oTherefore,oinoAPURVA orderotooeffectivelyocontroloandoeradicateothisoproliferatingo andoboomingodevastatingomenace,ocausingodeleteriousoeffectso andodeadlyoimpactoonotheosocietyoasoaowhole,oParliamentoinoitso wisdom,ohasomadeoeffectiveoprovisionsobyointroducingothisoActo 81oofo1985ospecifyingomandatoryominimumoimprisonmentoando fine.o o o o o o o o o o8.o Too checko theo menaceo ofo dangerouso drugso floodingo theo market,oParliamentohasoprovidedothatotheopersonoaccusedoofo offencesounderotheoNDPSoActoshouldonotobeoreleasedoonobailo duringo trialo unlesso theo mandatoryo conditionso providedo ino Sectiono37,onamely,o o o o o o o(i)o thereo areo reasonableo groundso foro believingo thato theo accusedoisonotoguiltyoofosuchooffence;oando o o o(ii)othatoheoisonotolikelyotoocommitoanyooffenceowhileoonobailo areosatisfied.oTheoHighoCourtohasonotogivenoanyojustifiableo reasono foro noto abidingo byo theo aforesaido mandateo whileo orderingo theo releaseo ofo theo respondent-accusedo ono bail.o Insteadoofoattemptingotootakeoaoholisticoviewoofotheoharmfulo socio-economico consequenceso ando healtho hazardso whicho wouldo accompanyo traffickingo illegallyo ino dangerouso drugs,o theocourtoshouldoimplementotheolawoinotheospiritowithowhicho Parliament,oafterodueodeliberation,ohasoamended."o o o20.o Theo schemeo ofo Sectiono 37o revealso thato theo exerciseo ofo powero too granto bailo iso noto onlyo subjecto too theo limitationso containedounderoSectiono439oofotheoCrPC,obutoisoalsoosubjecto tootheolimitationoplacedobyoSectiono37owhichocommencesowitho non-obstanteoclause.oTheooperativeopartoofotheosaidosectionoiso inotheonegativeoformoprescribingotheoenlargementoofobailotoo anyopersonoaccusedoofocommissionoofoanooffenceounderotheo Act,ounlessotwinoconditionsoareosatisfied.oTheofirstoconditionoiso thatotheoprosecutionomustobeogivenoanoopportunityotooopposeo theoapplication;oandotheosecond,oisothatotheoCourtomustobeo satisfiedothatothereoareoreasonableogroundsoforobelievingothato heo iso noto guiltyo ofo sucho offence.o Ifo eithero ofo theseo twoo conditionso iso noto satisfied,o theo bano foro grantingo bailo APURVA operates."o

17.o o Inotheoinstantocase,othereoisonothingoonorecordotooenableothiso Courtotoorecordoprimaofacieosatisfactionoforobelievingothatopetitioneroisonoto guiltyoofotheooffenceoorothatoheowillonotocommitoanyooffenceowhileoonobail.o Although,otheopetitionerowasoarrestedoono10.07.2022,oinvestigationoinotheo caseoisocompleteoandochallanostandsopresented,ohowever,omaterialowitnesseso areoyetotoobeoexaminedoinothisocase.o o o o o o ooooo

18.o o Furtheroinomyoconsideredoopinion,owhenotheoaccusedoisofacingo seriouso charges,o heo mayo developo temptationo too jumpo theo bail.o Theo apprehensionoexpressedobyotheoStateocounselothatoiforeleasedoonobail,othereoiso everyo likelihoodo ofo theo petitionero tryingo too tampero witho theo prosecutiono evidenceobyogivingothreatsoandoinducementotootheoprosecutionowitnessesoando abscondingoevenotooprolongotheotrial,ocannotobeobrushedoasideolightly.o oooo

19.o o Henceokeepingoinoviewotheoaforementionedocircumstancesoando alsootheoseriousnessoandogravityoofooffence,oIodoonotodeemoitofitotooextendotheo concessiono ofo regularo bailo too theo petitioner.o Accordingly,o theo presento petitionoisodismissed.o o o o o o o o oooo

20.o o Nothingo expressedo hereinaboveo shallo beo construedo too beo ano observationoonomeritsoofotheocaseoandotheofactsoandocircumstancesorecordedo aboveoareoonlyoforoconsiderationoofotheoprayeroforobailoatothisostage.o oooo

21.o o Allopendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandoclosed.o o

07.08.2023o o o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o Apurvao o o o o o o JUDGEo o

1.oWhetherospeaking/reasonedo :oYes/Noo

2.oWhetheroreportableoo o :oYes/Noo o