Ajay Kumar v. State of Punjab

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o 219o o o o o o o o CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M)o Dateoofodecision:o04.11.2025o o AjayoKumaroo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo o o ….Respondento o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oSatnamoSinghoGill,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo oo o o Mr.oJaypreetoSingh,oDAG,oPunjab.o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o nd1.o o Presento petitiono iso theo 4 o petitiono whicho haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono483oofoBNSS,oforograntooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingo FIRo No.77o datedo 28.06.2023o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso15o&o29oofotheoNarcoticoDrugsoandoPsychotropicoSubstancesoAct,o1985o (foroshorto'NDPSoAct'),oatoPoliceoStationoCityoDhuri,oDistrictoSangrur.o

2.o o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatotheopetitioneroisoano accusedoofobeingoinvolvedoinoanoFIRopertainingotooNDPSoActoinvolvingo60o Kgsoofopoppyohusk,oallegedorecoveredofromotheopetitioner.oo

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatotheopetitionero wasoinitiallyoarrestedoono28.06.2023.oooLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohaso furtherosubmittedothatotheomandatoryoprovisionsoofotheoNDPSoActohaveonotobeeno compliedowith,oandothus,otheoprosecutionocaseosuffersofromoinherentodefects.oo Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatototalocitedo13oprosecutiono witnessesostandoexamined.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheopetitionero HIgh Court Chandigarh CRM-M-32160-2025o/O1M0 P a g e | 2 o !asosufferedoin%ar%erationoforoabouto2oyears$o)omont!soando)odays.oo<!us$ore u#aro bai#oisoprayedofor.oo ).o o :earnedoStateo%ounse#o!asoopposedot!eopresentopetitionobyoar uin o t!atot!eoa##e ationsoraisedoa ainstot!eopetitioneroareoseriousoinonatureoand$ot!us$o !eodoesonotodeserveot!eo%on%essionoofot!eore u#arobai#.o:earnedoStateo%ounse#o!aso furt!erosubmittedot!atot!eoinstantobai#op#eaoisobarredobyot!eori orsoofoSe%tiono,1o ofot!eo.'PSoA%t$oandot!us$ot!eosameoou !totoobeodismissed.o:earnedoStateo %ounse#osee=sotoop#a%eoonore%ordo%ustodyo%ertifi%ateodatedo3,.((.2325oino9ourt$o *!i%!oisota=enoonore%ord.oo

5.o o 0o!aveo!eardo%ounse#oforot!eoriva#opartiesoando!aveo oneot!rou !ot!eo avai#ab#eore%ordsoofot!eo%ase.oo

4.o o <!eo petitionero *aso arrestedo ono 2+.34.232,o *!ereinaftero investi ationo*aso%arriedooutoando%!a##ano*asopresentedoono2,.(3.232,.o<ota#o(,o prose%utiono*itnesseso!aveobeeno%itedobyot!eoprose%utionoandoa##ostandsoe;aminedo andot!eo%aseoisono*ofi;edoforodefen%eoeviden%e.oThe very premise for the continued incarceration of the petitioner is significantly attenuated. The apprehension of the petitioner influencing or tampering with the prosecution witnesses, a common ground for denial of bail, is rendered largely moot in such circumstances. As the venerable legal maxim goes 'Cessante ratione legis, cessatipsa lex'- when the reason for the law ceases, the law itself ceases-duly encapsulates within its ambit, the factual milieu of the instant case. The primary rationale for pre-trial detention, securing the integrity of the prosecution's case and ensuring the accused's presence at trial, is substantially diminished when the evidentiary phase of the prosecution is virtually complete. Furthermore, it is a cardinal principle of criminal jurisprudence that

HIgh Court Chandigarh CRM-M-32160-2025o/O1M0 P a g e | 3 o the right to a fair trial is paramount, an indispensable facet of which is the accused's opportunity to present a robust defense. Although the right to lead defence by an accused is regulated by Section 233 of Cr.P.C, nonetheless, it is one of the most valuable rights. A criminal trial is not a one-sided affair, it embodies the adversarial system where both the prosecution and the defense must be afforded an equal, if not greater, opportunity to substantiate their respective cases. To effectively exercise this inalienable right to lead defense evidence, the physical liberty of the accused is often an essential factor. A person confined to custody faces considerable impediments in consulting with legal counsel, gathering defense witnesses, and preparing their strategy. Denial of liberty at this advanced stage, when the prosecution's evidentiary edifice is almost complete, can severely cripple the defense, thereby striking at the very root of a fair trial. Audi alteram partem -hear the other side-is a fundamental dictate of natural justice, and denying bail when there's no palpable risk of witness tampering would be to render this maxim nugatory. At this juncture, it would be apposite to refer herein to a judgment passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in 'Gudikanti Narasimhulu and others versus Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh', 1978 AIR (SC) 429, relevant part thereof reads as under: "11. We must weight the contrary factors to answer the test the reasonableness, subject to the need for securing the presence of the bail applicant. It makes sense to assume that a man on bail has a better chance to prepare of present his case than one remanded in custody. And if public justice is to be promoted, mechanical detention should be demoted." The rival contentions raised at Bar give rise to debatable issues shall be ratiocinated upon during the course of trial. This Court does not deem it appropriate to delve deep into these rival contentions, at this stage, lest it

HIgh Court Chandigarh CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 4 o mayoprejudiceotheotrial.oNothingotangibleohasobeenobroughtoforwardotooindicateo theolikelihoodoofotheopetitioneroabscondingofromotheoprocessoofojusticeooro interferingowithotheoprosecutionoevidence.oo

6.1.o o Theo trialo iso indeedo procrastinatingo ando follyo thereofo cannoto beo saddledouponotheopetitioner.oAsoperocustodyocertificateodatedo03.11.2025ofiledobyo theolearnedoStateocounsel,otheopetitionerohasoalreadyosufferedoincarcerationoforoao periodoofo02oyears,o4omonthsoando4odayso&oisonotoshownotoobeoinvolvedoinoanyo otheroFIR.ooInothisoviewoofotheomatter,otheorigoroimposedounderoSectiono37oofotheo NDPSoActostandsodilutedoinolightoofotheoArticleo21oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndia.oo

6.2.o o Thiso Courto ino ao judgmento titledo aso Kulwindero versuso Stateo ofo Punjabo passedo ino CRM-M-64074-2024o (2025:PHHC:002695);o aftero relyingo uponotheoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoino HussainaraoKhatoonovs.oHomeoSecy.,oStateoofoBiharo(1980)o1oSCCo81;oAbdulo RehmanoAntulayovsoR.S.oNayako(1992)o1oSCCo225;oJavedoGulamoNabioShaikho vs.o Stateo ofo Maharashtrao ando another,o 2024(3)o RCRo (Criminal)o 494;o Mohdo Muslimo @o Hussaino vs.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o reportedo aso 2023o INSCo 311;o CriminaloAppealoNo.245/2020odatedo07.02.2020otitledoaso"ChittaoBiswasoAliaso Subhasovs.oTheoStateoofoWestoBengal";o"NitishoAdhikaryo@oBapanovs.oTheoStateo ofo Westo Bengal",o Specialo Leaveo too Appealo (Crl.)o No.5530-2022o datedo

22.08.2022o titledo aso "Mohammado Salmano Hanifo Shaikho vs.o Theo Stateo ofo Gujarat";oCriminaloAppealoNo.1169oofo2022odatedo05.08.2022otitledoasoGopalo KrishnaoPatrao@oGopalrusmaovs.oUnionoofoIndia,oandoAnkuroChaudharyovs.oStateo ofoMadhyaoPradesh,o2024(4)oRCRo(Criminal)o172;ohasoheld,othus:oo o"7.8.o o Theorightotooaospeedyoandoexpeditiousotrialoisonotoonlyoaovitalo safeguardo too prevento undueo ando oppressiveo incarceration;o too mitigateo anxietyoandoconcernoaccompanyingotheoaccusationoasowelloasotoocurtailoanyo impairmentoinotheoabilityoofoanoaccusedotoodefendohimself,obutothereoisoano overarchingosocietalointerestopavingowayoforoaospeedyotrial.oThisorightohaso

o CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 5 o beenorepeatedlyoactuatedoinotheorecentopastoandotheoratioodecidendioofotheo above-referredotooSupremeoCourt'sojudgmentsohaveolaidodownoaoseriesoofo decisionsoopeningouponewovistasoofofundamentalorights.ooTheoconceptoofo speedyotrialoisoamalgamatedointootheoArticleo21oasoanoessentialopartoofotheo fundamentalorightotoolifeoandoliberty,oguaranteedoandopreservedounderoouro Constitution.ooTheorightotoospeedyotrialobeginsowithotheoactualorestrainto imposedo ato theo timeo ofo theo arresto ofo theo accusedo ando consequento incarcerationo whicho continueso ato allo stages,o namely,o theo stageo ofo investigation,o inquiry,o trial,o appealo ando revisiono soo thato anyo possibleo prejudiceothatomayoresultodueotooimpermissibleoandoavoidableodelayosinceo theotimeoofotheocommissionoofotheooffenceotillotheocriminaloproceedingso consummateo intoo ao finality,o couldo beo averted.o o Theo speedyo trial,o earlyo hearingoandoquickodisposaloareosineoquaononoofocriminalojurisprudence.oTheo overcrowdedoCourt-dockets,otheoheavyovolumeoofoworkoandotheoresultanto pressureoonotheoprosecutionoandotheoPolice,oindubitablyokeepsotheoentireo criminalojurisprudentialomechanismounderostressoandostrain.ooHowever,othiso cannotobeoanoexcuseoforokeepingotheoswordoofoDamoclesohangingoonotheo accusedoforoanoindefiniteoperiodoofotime.ooItodoesonotoserveoanyocreditotootheo criminalojusticeosystem,oratheroitomakesoforoao sadostateoofoaffairs.oTheo guaranteeoofoaospeedyotrialoisointendedotooavoidooppressionoandoprevento delayo byo imposingo ono theo Courto ando theo prosecutiono ano obligationo too proceedowithotheotrialowithoaoreasonableodispatch.ooTheoguaranteeoservesoao threefoldopurpose.oFirstly,oitoprotectsotheoaccusedoagainstooppressiveopre-trialoimprisonment;osecondly,oitorelievesotheoaccusedoofotheoanxietyoando publicosuspicionodueotoounresolvedocriminalochargesoandolastly,oitoprotectso againstotheoriskothatoevidenceowillobeolostooromemoriesodimmedobyotheo passageoofotime,othus,oimpairingotheoabilityoofotheoaccusedotoodefendohimself.o Itogoesowithoutosayingothatotheoconsequencesoofopre-trialodetentionoareo grave.oAccused,opresumedoinnocent,otilloprovenootherwise,oareosubjectedotoo psychologicaloandophysicalodeprivationsoofojail-life,ousuallyounderoonerouso conditions.oEquallyoimportant,otheoburdenoofodetentionoofosuchoanoaccusedo frequentlyofallsoheavilyoonotheoinnocentomembersoofohisofamily.ooo o o o Thereoisoyetoanotheroaspectoofotheomatterowhichodeserveso considerationoatothisostage.oTheoallegationsoinotheopresentocaseorelateotoo accusedo beingo involvedo ino ano FIRo relatingo too commercialo quantityo ofo contrabandounderotheoNDPSoAct,o1985.ooWhileoconsideringoaobailopetitiono inoaocaseoinvolvingocommercialoquantity,otheoCourtohasotookeepoinomindotheo rigoursoenumeratedounderoSectiono37oofoNDPSoAct,o1985owhichomandateso thatoCourtsocanograntobailotooanoaccusedoonlyoafterohearingotheopublico prosecutoroandoafterohavingosatisfiedoitselfoofotwinoconditionsowhichoareo reasonableogroundsoforobelievingothatotheoaccusedoisonotoguiltyoofotheooffenceo charged/allegedoandothat,oheoisonotolikelyotoocommitoanyooffenceowhileoono bail.ooTheostringentorigoursoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985omustobeo meticulouslyoscrutinizedoagainstotheobackdropoofoaccused'sofundamentalo rightotooaospeedyotrial.ooTheorightotoolifeoandopersonalolibertyocannotobeo renderedo nugatoryo byo unwarrantedo delayso ino theo judicialo process,o particularlyowhereosuchodelay(s)oisoneitheroattributableotootheoaccusedonoro justifiedoatotheoendoofotheoprosecutionobyocogentoreasons.oAnoindividualo cannotobeokeptobehindobarsoforoanoinordinateoperiodoofotimeobyotakingorefugeo inorigoursolaidodownoinoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985.ooTheolegislatureo inoitsowisdom,oinoorderotooensureospeedyoandotimelyodisposaloofotheocaseso underotheoAct,ohasoprovidedoforotheoconstitutionoofospecialoCourtsoundero Sectiono36-AoofotheoAct.ooHowever,othisoCourtocannototurnoNelson'soeyeotoo theo protractedo delayso ando systematico inefficiencyo thato frustrateo thiso legislativeopurpose.ooAoCourtoofolawoisoduty-boundotooensureothatoitodoesonoto becomeo complicito ino violationo ofo ano individual'so fundamentalo rights,o

o CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 6 o notwithstandingoanythingocontainedoinoaostatute.ooWhileodealingowithobailo petitionoinoaocaseogovernedobyotheorigoursoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o 1985,otheoCourtomustostrikeoaojudiciousobalanceobetweenotheolegislativeo intentotoocurbotheomenaceoofodrugsoandotheosacrosanctorightoofotheoaccusedo tooaofairoandoexpeditiousotrial.ooProlongedoincarceration,owithoutojustifiableo cause,orisksotransformingopre-trialodetentionointoopunitiveoimprisonment,oano outcomeoantitheticalotootheoprincipleoofojusticeoandoequity.oo o o o Ergo,otheounequivocaloinferenceoisothatowhereotheotrialohaso failedo too concludeo withino ao reasonableo time,o resultingo ino prolongedo incarceration,oitomilitatesoagainstotheopreciousofundamentalorightsoofolifeo ando libertyo grantedo undero theo lawo and,o aso such,o conditionalo libertyo overridingotheostatutoryoembargoocreatedounderoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSo Act,o1985ooughtotoobeoconsideredoasoperofactsoofoaogivenocase.ooInoothero words,ograntoofobailoinoaocaseopertainingotoocommercialoquantity,oonotheo groundoofoundueodelayoinotrial,ocannotobeosaidotoobeofetteredobyoSectiono37o ofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985."o o

6.3.oo o Indubitably,otheopresentopetitionoisotheofourthoattemptoonobehalfo ofotheopetitioneroforosecuringoregularobail.ooTheothirdopetitionofiledobyotheo petitionerobearingoNo.15182oofo2025owasodismissedoono25.03.2025o(Annexureo P-3).ooHowever,okeepingoinoviewotheoentiretyoofofactsoandocircumstanceoofotheo caseoinohand,oespeciallyokeepingoinoviewotheoextendedocustodyoandopaceoofo trial,othisoCourtoisoinclinedotoofavourablyoconsiderotheoinstantopleaoforobail.oAo profitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooaojudgmentoofothisoCourto passedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023ootitledoasoRafiqoKhanoversusoStateoofoHaryanao andoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Asoanoepilogueotootheoaboveodiscussion,otheofollowingoprincipleso emerge:oo Io Second/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)ofiledoisomaintainableoino lawo&ohenceosuchopetitionooughtonototoobeorejectedosolelyoonotheogroundoofo maintainabilityothereof.o II.oo Suchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)oisomaintainableo whetheroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoasowithdrawn/dismissedoasonoto pressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutionooroearlieropetitionowasodismissedo onomerits.oo IIIo oForotheosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s)otoosucceed,otheo petitioner/applicanto shallo beo essentially/pertinentlyo requiredo too showo substantialochangeoinocircumstancesoandoshowingoofoaomereosuperficialooro ostensibleochangeowouldonotosuffice.oTheometaphoricoexpressionoofoseekingo second/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughto noto beo abstractedo intoo literalo

o CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 7 o iterationsoofopetition(s)owithoutosubstantial,oeffectiveoandoconsequentialo changeoinocircumstances.oo IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoowhato wouldoconstituteosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoasoeveryocaseohasoitso ownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oMakingosuchoanoattemptoisonothingobutoano utopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueoisobestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoando discretionoofotheoCourtodealingowithosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailo petition(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/successiveopetition(s).oInootherowords,otheocauseoforoaoCourtohavingo successfullyocountenanced/entertainedosuchosecond/successiveopetition(s)o oughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyodecipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed."o o o Sufficeotoosay,ofurtherodetentionoofotheopetitioneroasoanoundertrialoiso notowarrantedoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.oo

7.o o Ino viewo ofo above,o theo presento petitiono iso allowed.o Petitionero iso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobailoonohisofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotootheo satisfactiono ofo theo Ld.o concernedo trialo Court/Dutyo Magistrate.o However,o ino additionotooconditionsothatomayobeoimposedobyotheoconcernedotrialoCourt/Dutyo Magistrate,otheopetitioneroshalloremainoboundobyotheofollowingoconditions:oo

(i)o Theopetitioneroshallonotomis-useotheolibertyogranted.oo

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

(iii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotoabsentohimselfoonoanyodateobeforeotheo trial.oo

(iv)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotocommitoanyooffenceowhileoonobail.oo

(v)oo Theopetitioneroshallodepositohisopassport,oifoany,owithotheotrialo Court.oo

(vi)o Theo petitionero shallo giveo hiso cellphoneo numbero too theo InvestigatingoOfficer/SHOoofoconcernedoPoliceoStationoando shallo noto changeo hiso cell-phoneo numbero withouto prioro permissionoofotheotrialoCourt/IllaqaoMagistrate.oo

(vii)o Theopetitioneroshallonotoinoanyomannerotryotoodelayotheotrial.oo

(viii)o Theopetitioneroshallosubmit,oonotheofirstoworkingodayoofoeveryo month,oanoaffidavit,obeforeotheoconcernedotrialoCourt,otootheo effectothatoheohasonotobeenoinvolvedoinocommissionoofoanyo offenceoafterobeingoreleasedoonobail.oInocaseotheopetitioneroiso foundotoobeoinvolvedoinoanyooffenceoafterohisobeingoenlargedo onobailoinotheopresentoFIR,oonotheobasisoofohisoaffidavitooro otherwise,o theo Stateo iso mandatedo too move,o forthwith,oforo cancellationoofohisobailowhichoplea,obutoofocourse,oshallobeo ratiocinatedouponomeritsothereof.oo

o CRM-M-32160-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 8 o o

8.o o Inocaseoofobreachoofoanyoofotheoaforesaidoconditionsoandothoseowhicho mayo beo imposedo byo concernedo trialo Court/Dutyo Magistrateo aso directedo hereinaboveoorouponoshowingoanyootherosufficientocause,otheoState/complainanto shallobeoatolibertyotoomoveocancellationoofobailoofotheopetitioner.oo

9.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

11.oo o Sinceo theo maino caseo haso beeno decided,o pendingo miscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o ooo o oooooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o o o o o oooooJUDGEo

04.11.2025oo Naveenooo o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

o