Amit Kashyap @ Goldy v. State of Punjab

o o o o o o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o 118o o o o o o ooCRM-M-35760-2025o o o o o o o ooDateoofodecision:oo31.07.2025o o AmitoKashyapo@oGoldyoo o o o o ....Petitionerooo V/so StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo Present:oo Mr.oMohitoNehra,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o o Mr.oGurpartapoS.oBhullar,oAAG,oPunjab.o o o oo o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono483oofoBNSS,o 2023oforograntooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.22o datedo 03.03.2025o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectiono 21(b),o27A,o29/61/85oofoNDPSoAct,o1985o(Sectiono111oofoBNS,o2023oaddedo laterono video Rapato No.18o datedo 05.03.2025)o ato Policeo Stationo Divisiono No.2,oDistrictoPathankot.o

2.oo o Theo caseo seto upo ino theo FIRo ino questiono (aso seto outo byo theo petitioneroinotheopresentopetition)oisoasofollows:-o "TootheoS.H.O.oPoliceoStation,oDivisionoNo.2,oPathankot,oJaio Hind.oToday,oI,oSIoalongowithoASIoBodhoRaj,o1219/PTK,oPHCo KasturioLal,o656/PTK,oPHGoSumitoThakuk,o13110,ogettingointoo Governmento vehicleo No.PB-65-BG-5162,o takingo alongo theo Laptop.oInvestigationokitoforoconductingoraidoandoforopatrollingo andocheckingowithoregardotootheodutiesoofoRSSoBranch,owereo leavingotheoPoliceoStation,opassingothroughoSellyoRoad,oPatelo Chowk,o Gandhio Mohallao etc.o patrollingo ono footo througho CRM-M-35760-2025o o P a g e o|o2o o o Mohallao Guruo Nanakpura,o Rampura,o reachedo theo crossing,o theno fromo fronto side,o ao mano havingo coveredo himselfo witho ao 'Lohi,owasoseenocomingoonofootoandolookingoatotheoPoliceopartyo inofrontoofohim,oreturnedobackotakingostepsoinohaste,owhoowaso controlledo byo me,o SI,o ono doubtingo ono him,o witho theo helpo ofo colleagues.oThenoIoenquiredoaboutohisname,ouponoasking,oheo toldohisonameoAmitoKashyapo@oGoldyos/ooKrishanoKashyap,o residentoofoMohallaoGuruoNanakoNagar,oRampura,oPathankot.o Uponothis,oIoSI,ohavingodoubtoonohim,ogivingohimonoticeou/so50o NDPS,oinformedohimoandodisclosedohimoaboutomyoidentityoando thenotoldothatoI,oSIoRajeshoKumaroNO.1314/PTK,oamopostedoaso Investigatingo Officero ato Policeo Station,o Divisiono No.2,o Pathankot.o Io suspecto thato youo haveo someo objectionableo substance,oyouohaveotoobeosearched.oButoyouohaveoaolegalorighto thatoyouocanogetoyourselfosearchedofromoanyoMagistrateooroao gazetteo officero whoo cano beo calledo ono theo spoto justo now.o Thereafter,o Amito Kashyapo @o Goldyo saido too me,o Io haveo fullo confidenceoonoyou,oyouocanosearchomyoperson.oUponothis,oao separateo memoo ofo consento byo theo aboveo saido Goldyo waso preparedoandobeforeoconductingosearchoofoaboveosaidoGoldy,o anoeffortowasomadeotooassociateoaopublicowitnessotootheoPoliceo party,obutothereobeing,oneighbourhoodomattero(mohalladari),o noopersonowasoreadyotooassociateowithotheoPoliceoparty.oUpono this,oIoconductedosearchoofoAmitoKashyapo@oGoldy,oanoefforto wasomadeotooassociateotheopublicoservantoonoduty,obutobeingo 'Mohalladari',onobodyocouldobeogotoassociatedowithotheoPoliceo partyo aso ao witness.o Upono this,o I,o SI,o ino theo presenceo ofo myo colleagues,oconductedosearchoofoAmitoKashyapo@oGoldy,ofromo pocketoofohisowornoPant,oaoComputeroKanda,ocolourosilver,oino oneo blacko colouro polytheneo covero whicho waso giveno ao knot,o containingosomeoweightyosubstanceoandofromoleftopocketofohiso worno shirt.o noteso ofo Indiano currencyo wereo recovered.o Byo openingoblackocolouropolytheneocover,owhichowasocheckedoando fromo whicho someo intoxicatingo substanceo likeo heroin,o waso recovered.oI.oSIobyotakingooutotheoComputeroKanda,oweighedo theo Heroino likeo intoxicatingo substance,o ito weighedo too beo 10o gramsoalongowithotheoPolytheneocoverowhichowasoputobyome,Slo inoaoplasticoboxoandopreparedoaoseparateoparceloofotheoplastico box.oThenotheocountingoofotheoIndianocurrencyonotesowasodone,o CRM-M-35760-2025o o P a g e o|o3o o o thenooneonoteoofoRs.500/-,o4onotesoofoRs.200/-oeachoando9onoteso ofo Rs.100/-o eacho totalo Rs.2200/-o wereo recovered.o Allo Indiano currencyonotesowereoalsooputoinoaoplasticoboxoandoaoseparateo parcelowasopreparedoandoaoseparateoparceloofotheorecoveredo smalloComputeroKandao(weightoscale)owasoalsooprepared.oIoSIo dulyo sealedo theo aboveo 10o gramso intoxicatingo substanceo likeo heroino parcel,o drugo moneyo parcelo ando theo smallo compuero kandaoparcel,owithohisolettersoR.K.otheototalo1/1/1/oandothrougho aoseparateomemo,otookoinoPoliceocustodyoasoanoevidence.oAo sampleosealowasoprepared.oTheosealoafterouseowasohandedoovero too ASIo Bodho raj,o 1249/PTK.o Theo accusedo Amito Kashyapo @o Goldy,o byo keepingo ino hiso possessiono 10gm.o Intoxicatingo substanceo likeo heroino includingo theo blacko colouro polytheneo cover,oRs.2200/-oIndianocurrencyonotesoasodrugomoneyoandoao computero kandao (weighto scale),o haso committedo offenceo u/so 27(A)-61-86-NDPSoAct.oUponothis,obyowritingoaomessage,oiso beingosentotootheoPoliceoStationotoogetotheoFIRoregistered,obyo handothroughoPHGoSumitoThakur,o13110.oAfteroregistrationoofo FIR,otheonumberoofotheoFIRomayobeoapprisedoof.oAfteroissuingo specialo reports,o beo sento too theo Illaqao Magistrateo ando too theo highero officers.o Ano intimationo mayo beo giveno too theo Controlo Roomoonowireless.oI,oSIoalongowithocolleaguesogetsobusyoonotheo spotoforoconductingoinvestigation.oSd/-oRajeshoKumar,oSI,oP.S.o Divisiono No.2,o Pathankoto City,o 10.50o AM.o Todayo ato Policeo Station:o Ato present,o upono theo receipto ofo aboveo saido writteno messageo througho PHGo Sumito Thakur,o No.o 13110/PTKo ando aftero registrationo ofo aboveo saido FIRo undero theo aforesaido offences,o copyo ofo theo FIRo alongo witho theo originalo writteno message,owasosentobyohandothroughotheocomingoPHG,otootheo saidoS.I.owhooisobusyoinoinvestigationoonotheospot.oAfteroissuingo theospecialoreports,otheosameoareobeingosentobyohandothrougho PHCo Harphoolo Rai,o 728/PTKo too Hon'bleo Illaqao Magistrateo Pathankotoandotootheohigheroofficers.oIntimationotootheoControlo Roomo iso beingo sento througho wireless.o Reporto No.17o daetdo

13.3.2025oisocompletedoato11.50oAM."o

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso arguedo thato theo petitionero iso ino custodyo sinceo 03.03.2025.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 4o o o petitionerohasofurtheroar#uedothatopri8eoalle#ationsoa#ainstotheopetitionero areothato("#8soofoheroine,o&s.!!""/6oofodru#o8one3oandooneo4ei#hin#o scaleoha/eobeenoreco/eredofro8ohi8.oo7earnedocounseloforotheopetitionero hasofurtheroiteratedothatotheocontrabandoalle#edotooha/eobeenoreco/eredofro8o theopetitioneroisonon6co88ercialoinonatureoandotheopoliceohasofalsel3ofoistedo theoreco/er3oofo&s.!!""/6ouponotheopetitioneroasodru#o8one3oonl3oinoordero tooin/otieotheori#orsoofoSectiono3+oofo .PSoAct.oo Thus, regular bail is prayed for.

¶4Counsel for the State has opposed the present petition by arguing that the allegations raised are serious in nature and, thus, the petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail. Learned State counsel has further submitted that the instant bail plea is barred by the rigors of Section 37 of the NDPS Act, and thus, the same ought to be dismissed. Learned State counsel seeks to place on record custody certificate dated 30.07.2025 in Court, which is taken on record. He has also filed reply by way of affidavit of Shri Daljinder Singh Dhillon, PPS, SenioroSuperintendentoofoPolice, District Pathankot, which is kept on record. A copy thereof has been furnished to learned counsel for the petitioner.

¶5I have heard counsel for the parties and have gone through the available records of the case.

¶6The petitioner is in custody since 03.03.2025. The conclusion of investigation as also trial emanating therefrom, if occasion so arises, will take its own time. It is not in dispute that the contraband recovered from the petitioner is 10gms of heroine, which is non-commercial in nature. Further, the invocation of Section 27A of NDPS Act is on account of CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 5o o o alleged recovery of Rs.2200/- shown to be as drug money, but the basis thereof is confessional statement of the present petitioner. This Court does not deem it appropriate to delve deep into these rival contentions, at this stage lest it may prejudice the rights of either of the parties. othin#o tan#ibleo haso beeno brou#hto for4ardo too indicateo theo litielihoodo ofo theo petitioneroabscondin#ofro8otheoprocessoofojusticeoorointerferin#o4ithotheo re8ainin#oprosecutionoe/idence.

6.1 In the factual milieu of the case, this Court is of the considered opinion that fetters of Section 37 of the NDPS Act have been met with so as to enlarge the petitioner on bail. It would be apposite to refer a judgment of this Court in Jaswinder Singh alias Kala versus State of Punjab passed in CRM-M-33729-2025 (2025:PHHC:089161); the relevant whereof reads thus: "14. As a sequitur to above-said rumination, the following postulates emerge:

(I) (i) A bail plea on merits; in respect of an FIR under NDPS Act of 1985 involving offence(s) under Section 19 or Section 24 or Section 27-A thereof and for offence(s) involving commercial quantity; is essentially required to meet with the rigour(s) of Section 37 of NDPS Act.

(ii) The rigour(s) of Section 37 of NDPS Act do not apply to a bail plea(s) on medical ground(s), interim bail on account of any exigency including the reason of demise of a close family relative etc.

(iii) The rigour(s) of Section 37 of NDPS Act pale into oblivion when bail is sought for on account of long incarceration in view of Article 21 of the Constitution of India i.e. where the bail-applicant has suffered long under-trial custody, the trial is procrastinating and folly thereof is not attributable to such bail-applicant.

II. The twin conditions contained in Section 37(1)(b) of NDPS Act are in addition to the conditions/parameters CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 6o o o contained in Cr.P.C./BNSS or any other applicable extant law.

III. The twin conditions contained in Section 37(1)(b) of NDPS Act are cumulative in nature and not alternative i.e. both the conditions are required to be satisfied for a bail-plea to be successful.

IV. For consideration by bail Court of the condition stipulated in Section 37(1)(b)(i) of NDPS Act i.e. "there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence":

(i) The bail Court ought to sift through all relevant material, including case-dairy, exclusively for the limited purpose of adjudicating such bail plea.

(ii) Such consideration, concerning the assessment of guilt or innocence, should not mirror the same degree of scrutiny required for an acquittal of the accused at the final adjudication & culmination of trial.

(iii) Plea(s) of defence by applicant-accused, if any, including material/documents in support thereof, may be looked into by the bail-Court while adjudicating such bail plea.

V. For consideration of the condition stipulated in Section 37(1)(b)(ii) i.e. 'he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail':

(i) The word 'likely' ought to be interpreted as requiring a demonstrable and substantial probability of re-offending by the bail-applicant, rather than a mere theoretical one, as no Court can predict future conduct of the bail-applicant.

(ii) The entire factual matrix of a given case including the antecedents of the bail-applicant, role ascribed to him, and the nature of offence are required to be delved into. However, the involvement of bail-applicant in another NDPS/other offence cannot ipso facto result in the conclusion of his propensity for committing offence in the future.

(iii) The bail-Court may, at the time of granting bail, impose upon the applicant-accused a CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 7o o o condition that he would submit, at such regular time period/interval as may stipulated by the Court granting bail, an affidavit before concerned Special Judge of NDPS Court/Illaqa (Jurisdictional) Judicial Magistrate/concerned Police Station, to the effect that he has not been involved in commission of any offence after being released on bail. In the facts of a given case, imposition of such condition may be considered to be sufficient for satisfaction of condition enumerated in Section 37(1)(b)(ii).

VI. There is no gainsaying that the nature, mode and extent of exercise of power by a Court; while satisfying itself regarding the conditions stipulated in Section 37 of NDPS Act; shall depend upon the judicial discretion exercised by such Court in the facts and circumstances of a given case. No exhaustive guidelines can possibly be laid down as to what would constitute parameters for satisfaction of requirement under Section 37 (ibid) as every case has its own unique facts/circumstances. Making such an attempt is nothing but a utopian endeavour. Ergo, this issue is best left to the judicial wisdom and discretion of the Court dealing with such matter."

6.2 As per the custody certificate dated 30.07.2025 filed by the learned State counsel, the petitioner has suffered incarceration 4 months and 25 days. Further, as per the said custody certificate the petitioner is stated to be involved in two more criminal case. However, this factum cannot be a ground sufficient by itself, to decline the concession of regular bail to the petitioner in the FIR in question when a case is made out for grant of regular bail qua the FIR in question by ratiocinating upon the facts/circumstances of the said FIR. Reliance in this regard can be placed upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi v. State of U.P. and another, 2012 (1) RCR (Criminal) 586; a Division Bench judgment of the Hon'ble Calcutta High Court in case of Sridhar Das v. State, 1998 (2) RCR (Criminal) 477 & judgments of this CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 8o o o Court in CRM-M No.38822-2022 titled as Akhilesh Singh v. State of Haryana, decided on 29.11.2021, and Balraj v. State of Haryana, 1998 (3) RCR (Criminal) 191. Suffice to say, the further detention of the petitioner in custody is not required in the facts and circumstances of the case.

¶7In view of above, the present petition is allowed. Petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail on his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the Ld. concerned trial Court/Duty Magistrate. However, in addition to conditions that may be imposed by the concerned trial Court/Duty Magistrate, the petitioner shall remain bound by the following conditions:

(i) The petitioner shall not mis-use the liberty granted.

(ii) The petitioner shall not tamper with any evidence, oral or documentary, during the trial.

(iii) The petitioner shall not absent himself on any date before the trial.

(iv) The petitioner shall not commit any offence while on bail.

(v) The petitioner shall deposit his passport, if any, with the trial Court.

(vi) The petitioner shall give his cellphone number to the Investigating Officer/SHO of concerned Police Station and shall not change his cell-phone number without prior permission of the trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate.

(vii) The petitioner shall not in any manner try to delay the trial.

(viii) The petitioner shall submit, on the first working day of every month, an affidavit, before the concerned trial Court, to the effect that he has not been involved in commission of any offence after being released on bail. In case the petitioner is found to be involved in any offence after his being enlarged on bail in the present FIR, on the basis of his affidavit or otherwise, the State is mandated to move, forthwith, for cancellation of his bail which plea, but of course, shall be ratiocinated upon merits thereof.

CRM-M-35760-2025 P a g e | 9o o o

¶8In case of breach of any of the aforesaid conditions and those which may be imposed by concerned trial Court/Duty Magistrate as directed hereinabove or upon showing any other sufficient cause, the State/complainant shall be at liberty to move cancellation of bail of the petitioner.

¶9Ordered accordingly.

¶10Nothing said hereinabove shall be construed as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case.

¶11Since the main case has been decided, pending miscellaneous application, if any, shall also stands disposed off.

(SUMEET GOEL) JUDGE July 31, 2025 Naveen o o