Harchand Singh Alias Chand v. State of Punjab

o 128o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o Dateoofodecision:o06.03.2026o Dateoofouploading:o06.03.2026o o o HarchandoSingho@oChando o o o o o ….Petitionero o Versuso o StateoofoPunjabo o oooo o o o o ooooo….Respondento o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oL.S.oSekhon,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oHemantoAggarwal,oDAG,oPunjab.o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o Presento petitiono iso theo secondo attempt,o whicho haso beeno filedo underoSectiono483oofoBNSSo2023oforograntooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroino caseo bearingo FIRo No.18o datedo 26.02.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableounderoSectionso22o&o29oofotheoNarcoticoDrugsoandoPsychotropico SubstancesoAct,o1985o(foroshorto'NDPSoAct'),oatoPoliceoStationoPassiana,o DistrictoPatiala.o

2.o o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatotheopetitioneroisoano accusedoofobeingoinvolvedoinoFIRopertainingotooNDPSoActoinvolvingo404o looseo capsuleso ofo maroono colouro bearingo markingo ofo Proxywelo Spaso containingo salto 'Tramadolo Hydrochloride'o ando 400o looseo tabletso ofo whiteo colouro containingo salto 'Dicyclomineo Hydrochloride',o allegedlyo recoveredo fromotheoco-accusedoofotheopetitioneronamelyoParmaloKaur.o HIgh Court Chandigarh 2o o o o

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatotheopetitionero iso ino custodyo sinceo 11.03.2025.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso furtherosubmittedothatotheomandatoryoprovisionsoofotheoNDPSoActohaveonoto beenocompliedowith,oandothus,otheoprosecutionocaseosuffersofromoinherento defects.o Learnedo counselo haso furthero iteratedo thato soleo basiso too arrayo theo petitioneroasoanoaccusedoisotheodisclosureostatementoofoco-accused,onamelyo ParmaloKaur.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheopetitionerohaso sufferedoincarcerationoforomoreothano11omonths.ooThus,oregularobailoisoprayedo for.oo

4.o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo presento petitiono byo arguingothatotheoallegationsoraisedoagainstotheopetitioneroareoseriousoinonatureo and,othus,oheodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularobail.oLearnedo Stateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheoinstantobailopleaoisobarredobyotheo rigorso ofo Sectiono 37o ofo theo NDPSo Act,o ando thus,o theo sameo oughto too beo dismissed.oLearnedoStateocounseloseeksotooplaceoonorecordocustodyocertificateo datedo05.03.2026oinoCourt,owhichoisotakenoonorecord.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveogoneothrougho theoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.oo

6.o o Theopetitionerowasoarrestedoono11.03.2025oandochallanoisostillo notopresented.oTheopetitionerohasobeenoimplicatedoasoanoaccusedoinotheoFIRoino questionosolelyoonotheobasisoofodisclosureostatementoofoco-accusedoParmalo Kaur.ooAsoperotheoprosecutionoversion,othereoisonoootheromaterialoavailableotoo connecto theo petitionero witho theo contrabando excepto foro theo saido disclosureo statement.o Ito iso pertinento too noteo thato sucho disclosureo statements,o ino theo

o 3o o o o absenceoofocorroborativeoevidenceoholdolimitedoevidentiaryovalueoandocannoto beo soleo basiso foro implicatingo theo petitioner.o Theo relianceo ono thiso unsubstantiatedo statemento raiseso seriouso doubtso abouto theo fairnesso ando objectivityoofotheoinvestigation.oItoisonotoinodisputeothatotheopetitionerowasonoto presentoatotheospot.oTheoveracityoandoweightageorequiredotoobeoattachedotootheo disclosureostatementomadeobyotheoco-accusedowillobeofullyotestedoatotheotimeo ofotrial.oTheorivalocontentionsoraisedoatoBarogiveoriseotoodebatableoissuesoshallo beoratiocinatedouponoduringotheocourseoofotrial.oThisoCourtodoesonotodeemoito appropriateotoodelveodeepointootheseorivalocontentions,oatothisostage,olestoito mayo prejudiceo theo trial.o Nothingo tangibleo haso beeno broughto forwardo too indicateo theo likelihoodo ofo theo petitionero abscondingo fromo theo processo ofo justiceoorointerferingowithotheoprosecutionoevidence.oo

6.1.o o Atothisojuncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferotooaojudgmento passedobyothisoCourtoinoAnshuloSardanaoversusoStateoofoPunjab,opassedoino CRM-M-65094-2024o (2025:o PHHC:004198),o wherein,o aftero relyingo upono theoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoTofano SinghoversusoStateoofoTamiloNadu,oAIRo2020oSupremeoCourto5592;oSmt.o Najmunisha,o Abdulo Hamido Chandmiyao @o Ladooo Bapuo versuso Stateo ofo Gujrat,o Narcoticso Controlo Bureau,o 2024o INSCo 290;o Stateo byo (NCB)o Bengaluruo vs.o Pallulabido Ahmado Arimuttao &o Anr.',o 2022o (1)o RCRo (Criminal)o762;oandoVijayoSinghovs.oTheoStateoofoHaryana,obearingoSpecialo LeaveotooAppealo(Crl.)oNo.(s)o1266/2023,odecidedoono17.05.2023,ohasoheldo thus:oo

o 4o o o o "6.3oo o Itoisoaowelloestablishedoprincipleoofolawothatoaoconfessiono madeobyoaoco-accusedounderoSectiono67oofotheoNDPSoActoisoinherentlyoao veryoweakopieceoofoevidence.ooSuchostatement(s),obyothemselves,ocannoto formo theo soleo basiso foro theo convictiono ofo ano individualo ando musto beo scrutinizedo witho utmosto cautiono ino conjunctiono witho othero substantiveo evidence.oMoreover,onoorecoveryohasobeenoeffectedofromotheopossessionoofo theopetitioner,owhoohasobeenosubsequentlyoimplicatedoasoanoaccusedosolelyo ono theo basiso ofo disclosureo statemento ofo theo co-accused.o However,o aso regularobailopertainsotoolifeoandolibertyoofoindividual,oCourtsoareoobligatedo toostrikeoaobalanceobetweenosafeguardingopersonalolibertyoandoensuringo theo effectiveo administrationo ofo justiceo aso alsoo investigation.o Theo finalo evidentiaryovalueoandoadmissibilityoofotheodisclosureostatementomadeobyoao co-accusedo fallo withino theo domaino ofo theo trialo Courto ando areo too beo adjudicatedoduringotheocourseoofotheotrialoinoaccordanceowithoestablishedo principlesoofolaw.oHowever,owhileoadjudicatingoaopleaofororegularobail,othiso Courto cannoto remaino obliviouso too theo circumstanceso undero whicho theo petitionerohasobeenoarraignedooroimplicated,oincludingotheonatureoofotheo allegations,otheoevidenceolinkingotheopetitionerotootheooffenceoasowelloasotheo specificoroleoattributedotootheopetitioneroinotheocommissionoofotheoallegedo offence.oAoprimaofacieoexaminationoofotheseofactorsoisoessentialotooensureo thatotheoprocessoofolawoisonotomisused,oabusedooromisdirected."oo o

6.2.o o Further,othisoCourtoinotheocaseoofoJaswinderoSinghoaliasoKalao versuso Stateo ofo Punjabo passedo ino CRM-M-33729-2025o (2025:PHHC:089161)ohasoheldothus:oo "14.o o Aso ao sequituro too above-saido rumination,o theo followingo postulatesoemerge:o

(I)o (i)o Aobailopleaoonomerits;oinorespectoofoanoFIRounderoNDPSoActo ofo 1985o involvingo offence(s)o undero Sectiono 19ooro Sectiono 24o oro Sectiono 27-Ao thereofo ando foro offence(s)o involvingo commercialo quantity;o iso essentiallyo requiredo too meeto witho theo rigour(s)o ofo Sectiono37oofoNDPSoAct.ooo o o (ii)oo Theorigour(s)oofoSectiono37oofoNDPSoActodoonotoapplyotooao bailoplea(s)oonomedicaloground(s),ointerimobailoonoaccountoofoanyo exigencyoincludingotheoreasonoofodemiseoofoaocloseofamilyorelativeo etc.o o o o (iii)o Theorigour(s)oofoSectiono37oofoNDPSoActopaleointooobliviono whenobailoisosoughtoforoonoaccountoofolongoincarcerationoinoviewoofo Articleo21oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndiaoi.e.owhereotheobail-applicanto

o 5o o o o hasosufferedolongounder-trialocustody,otheotrialoisoprocrastinatingo andofollyothereofoisonotoattributableotoosuchobail-applicant.ooo o II.o TheotwinoconditionsocontainedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)oofoNDPSoActoareo ino additiono too theo conditions/parameterso containedo ino Cr.P.C./BNSSooroanyootheroapplicableoextantolaw.oo o III.o TheotwinoconditionsocontainedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)oofoNDPSoActoareo cumulativeoinonatureoandonotoalternativeoi.e.obothotheoconditionso areorequiredotoobeosatisfiedoforoaobail-pleaotoobeosuccessful.ooo o IV.o Foro considerationo byo bailo Courto ofo theo conditiono stipulatedo ino Sectiono37(1)(b)(i)oofoNDPSoActoi.e.o"thereoareoreasonableogroundso forobelievingothatoheoisonotoguiltyoofosuchooffence":o o

(i)o Theo bailo Courto oughto too sifto througho allo relevanto material,oincludingocase-dairy,oexclusivelyoforotheolimitedo purposeoofoadjudicatingosuchobailoplea.o o

(ii)o Sucho consideration,o concerningo theo assessmento ofo guiltooroinnocence,oshouldonotomirrorotheosameodegreeoofo scrutinyorequiredoforoanoacquittaloofotheoaccusedoatotheofinalo adjudicationo&oculminationoofotrial.oo o

(iii)o Plea(s)o ofo defenceo byo applicant-accused,o ifo any,o includingo material/documentso ino supporto thereof,o mayo beo lookedointoobyotheobail-Courtowhileoadjudicatingosuchobailo plea.ooo o V.o ForoconsiderationoofotheoconditionostipulatedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)(ii)o i.e.o'heoisonotolikelyotoocommitoanyooffenceowhileoonobail':o

(i)o Theo wordo 'likely'o oughto too beo interpretedo aso requiringoaodemonstrableoandosubstantialoprobabilityoofore-offendingo byo theo bail-applicant,o rathero thano ao mereo theoreticaloone,oasonooCourtocanopredictofutureoconductoofo theobail-applicant.oo o

(ii)o Theoentireofactualomatrixoofoaogivenocaseoincludingo theoantecedentsoofotheobail-applicant,oroleoascribedotoohim,o andotheonatureoofooffenceoareorequiredotoobeodelvedointo.oo However,o theo involvemento ofo bail-applicanto ino anothero NDPS/othero offenceo cannoto ipsoo factoo resulto ino theo conclusionoofohisopropensityoforocommittingooffenceoinotheo future.o o

(iii)o Theobail-Courtomay,oatotheotimeoofograntingobail,o imposeo upono theo applicant-accusedo ao conditiono thato heo wouldosubmit,oatosuchoregularotimeoperiod/intervaloasomayo stipulatedobyotheoCourtograntingobail,oanoaffidavitobeforeo concernedo Specialo Judgeo ofo NDPSo Court/Illaqao (Jurisdictional)o Judicialo Magistrate/concernedo Policeo Station,o too theo effecto thato heo haso noto beeno involvedo ino commissionoofoanyooffenceoafterobeingoreleasedoonobail.ooIno theofactsoofoaogivenocase,oimpositionoofosuchoconditionomayo beoconsideredotoobeosufficientoforosatisfactionoofoconditiono enumeratedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)(ii).ooo

o 6o o o o o VI.oo Thereoisonoogainsayingothatotheonature,omodeoandoextentoofoexerciseo ofo powero byo ao Court;o whileo satisfyingo itselfo regardingo theo conditionso stipulatedo ino Sectiono 37o ofo NDPSo Act;o shallo dependo uponotheojudicialodiscretionoexercisedobyosuchoCourtoinotheofactso andocircumstancesoofoaogivenocase.oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocano possiblyobeolaidodownoasotoowhatowouldoconstituteoparametersoforo satisfactionooforequirementounderoSectiono37o(ibid)oasoeveryocaseo hasoitsoownouniqueofacts/circumstances.ooMakingosuchoanoattemptoiso nothingobutoaoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueoisobestoleftotootheo judicialo wisdomo ando discretiono ofo theo Courto dealingo witho sucho matter."o o

6.3.o o Inothisoviewoofotheomatter,otheorigoroimposedounderoSectiono37o ofotheoNDPSoActostandsodiluted.oo

6.4.o o Indubitably,otheopresentopetitionoisotheosecondoattemptoonobehalfo ofotheopetitioneroforosecuringoregularobail.ooTheofirstooneobearingono.oCRM-M-39843-2025owasodismissedoasowithdrawnoono31.07.2025o(AnnexureoP-3).ooo However,okeepingoinoviewotheoentiretyoofofactsoandocircumstanceoofotheocaseo inohandoespeciallyokeepingoinoviewotheoextendedocustodyoandopaceoofotrial,o thiso Courto iso inclinedo too favourablyo considero theo instanto pleao foro bail.o Ao profitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooaojudgmentoofothisoCourto passedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023otitledoasoRafiqoKhanoversusoStateoofoHaryanao andoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Asoanoepilogueotootheoaboveodiscussion,otheofollowingoprincipleso emerge:oo Io Second/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)ofiledoisomaintainableo ino lawo &o henceo sucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedo solelyo ono theo groundoofomaintainabilityothereof.o o II.oo Suchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)oisomaintainableo whetheroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoasowithdrawn/dismissedoasonoto pressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutionooroearlieropetitionowasodismissedo onomerits.oo o IIIo oForotheosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)otoosucceed,o theopetitioner/applicantoshallobeoessentially/pertinentlyorequiredotooshowo substantialochangeoinocircumstancesoandoshowingoofoaomereosuperficialo oroostensibleochangeowouldonotosuffice.oTheometaphoricoexpressionoofo

o 7o o o o seekingo second/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughto noto beo abstractedo intoo literalo iterationso ofo petition(s)o withouto substantial,o effectiveo ando consequentialochangeoinocircumstances.oo o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoowhato wouldoconstituteosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoasoeveryocaseohaso itsoownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oMakingosuchoanoattemptoisonothingo butoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueoisobestoleftotootheojudicialo wisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourtodealingowithosuchosecond/successiveo regularobailopetition(s).o Vo oInocaseoaoCourtochoosesotoograntosecond/successiveoregularobailo petition(s),o cogento ando lucido reasonso areo pertinentlyo requiredo too beo recordedo foro grantingo sucho pleao despiteo sucho ao pleao beingo second/successiveo petition(s).o Ino othero words,o theo causeo foro ao Courto havingo successfullyo countenanced/entertainedo sucho second/successiveo petition(s)ooughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyodecipherableofromotheosaido orderopassed."o o o

7.o o AsoperotheocustodyocertificateofiledotodayobyotheolearnedoStateo counsel,otheopetitionerohasosufferedoincarcerationoforoaoperiodoofo11omonthso ando 21o dayso &o iso showno too beo involvedo ino anyo sixo othero FIRs/cases.oo However,othisofactumocannotobeoaogroundosufficientobyoitself,otoodeclineotheo concessionooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinotheoFIRoinoquestionowhenoao caseo iso madeo outo foro granto ofo regularo bailo quao theo FIRo ino questiono byo ratiocinatingouponotheofacts/circumstancesoofotheosaidoFIR.oRelianceoinothiso regardocanobeoplacedouponotheojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoino MaulanaoMohd.oAmiroRashadiov.oStateoofoU.P.oandoanother,o2012o(1)oRCRo (Criminal)o586;oaoDivisionoBenchojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleoCalcuttaoHigho CourtoinocaseoofoSridharoDasov.oState,o1998o(2)oRCRo(Criminal)o477o&o judgmentsoofothisoCourtoinoCRM-MoNo.38822-2022otitledoasoAkhileshoSingho v.o Stateo ofo Haryana,o decidedo ono 29.11.2021,o ando Balrajo v.o Stateo ofo Haryana,o1998o(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o191.o o o Sufficeo too say,o furthero detentiono ofo theo petitionero aso ano undertrialoisonotowarrantedoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.oo

o 8o o o o

8.o o Inoviewoofoabove,otheopresentopetitionoisoallowed.oPetitioneroiso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobailoonohisofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotoo theosatisfactionoofotheoLd.oconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrate.oHowever,o ino additiono too conditionso thato mayo beo imposedo byo theo concernedo trialo Court/DutyoMagistrate,otheopetitioneroshalloremainoboundobyotheofollowingo conditions:oo

(i)o Theopetitioneroshallonotomis-useotheolibertyogranted.oo

(ii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonototamperowithoanyoevidence,ooralooro documentary,oduringotheotrial.oo

(iii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotoabsentohimselfoonoanyodateobeforeo theotrial.oo

(iv)oo Theo petitionero shallo noto commito anyo offenceo whileo ono bail.oo

(v)oo Theopetitioneroshallodepositohisopassport,oifoany,owithotheo trialoCourt.oo

(vi)o Theo petitionero shallo giveo hiso cellphoneo numbero too theo Investigatingo Officer/SHOo ofo concernedo Policeo Stationo andoshallonotochangeohisocell-phoneonumberowithoutoprioro permissionoofotheotrialoCourt/IllaqaoMagistrate.oo

(vii)o Theopetitioneroshallonotoinoanyomannerotryotoodelayotheo trial.oo

(viii)o Theopetitioneroshallosubmit,oonotheofirstoworkingodayoofo everyo month,o ano affidavit,o beforeo theo concernedo trialo Court,o too theo effecto thato heo haso noto beeno involvedo ino commissionoofoanyooffenceoafterobeingoreleasedoonobail.o Ino caseo theo petitionero iso foundo too beo involvedo ino anyo offenceo afterohisobeingo enlargedo ono bailoinotheo presento FIR,oonotheobasisoofohisoaffidavitoorootherwise,otheoStateoiso mandatedotoomove,oforthwith,oforocancellationoofohisobailo whicho plea,o buto ofo course,o shallo beo ratiocinatedo upono meritsothereof.oo o

9.o o Inocaseoofobreachoofoanyoofotheoaforesaidoconditionsoandothoseo whichomayobeoimposedobyoconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrateoasodirectedo hereinaboveo oro upono showingo anyo othero sufficiento cause,o theo State/complainanto shallo beo ato libertyo too moveo cancellationo ofo bailo ofo theo petitioner.oo

o 9o o o o

10.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

12.oo o Sinceotheomainocaseohasobeenodecided,opendingomiscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o

o o o o ooooooo o (SUMEEToGOEL)o o oooooooooooooooooooooo o o ooooooooooooooooooooo oJUDGEo Marcho06,o2026o Naveeno o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo o

o