Goli @ Banty @ Banty Masih v. State of Punjab

o o o o o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 228o o o o o o ooCRM-M-47933-2025o o o o o o o ooDateoofodecision:o04.09.2025o o o Golio@oBantyo@oBantyoMasihoo o o o o o o o o o ....Petitionerooo V/so o StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oViditoBansal,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oBaljinderoSinghoSra,oAddl.oAG,oPunjab.o o o oo *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o Theopresentopetitionoisosecondopetitionopreferredoonobehalfoofo theopetitionerounderoSectiono483oofoBNSSo2023oforograntooforegularobailoino caseo bearingo FIRo No.29o datedo 26.03.2023,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableounderoSectionso21,o23,o27A,o29oofoNDPSoAct,oSectiono66(F)oofo InformationoTechnologyoAct,o2005oandoSectiono25oofoArmsoAct,o1959,oato PoliceoStationoKalanaur,oDistrictoGurdaspur.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatotheopetitioneroisoano accusedoofobeingoinvolvedoinoanoFIRopertainingotooNDPSoActoandoArmsoActo CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o2o o o o involvingo allegedo recoveryo ofo sixo pistols,o seveno magazineso alongwitho 77o bulletsoandoRs.35,70,000/-oofodrugomoneyoasowellofromotheoaccusedoinotheoFIRo inoquestion.o

3.oo o Learnedo counselo appearingo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thatotheopetitionerowaso arrestedoono 11.04.2023.oLearnedo counselo forotheo petitionerohasofurtheroarguedothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedo intootheoFIRoinoquestion.ooLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasofurthero arguedo thato mandatoryo provisionso ofo NDPSo Act/Cr.P.Co haveo noto beeno compliedowithowhileoeffectingorecoveryoand,othus,otheopetitionerocannotobeo saidotoobeoconnectedowithotheosameoinoanyomannerowhatsoever.ooLearnedo counseloforotheopetitionerohasofurtheroarguedothatotheopetitioneroisoinocustodyo foromoreothano2oyears.ooHeohasoplacedorelianceouponoanoorderopassedobyo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ono 28.04.2025o ino SLPo (Crl.)o No.3502oofo 2025o grantingo regularo bailo too co-accusedo namelyo Jaswindero Singho @o Kala,o relevantowhereof,oreadsoasounder:o "1.o Theo petitionero seekso leaveo too challengeo theo judgmento ando orderodatedo25.11.2024opassedobyotheoHighoCourtoofoPunjaboando Haryanao ato Chandigarho ino CRM-Mo No.33633-2024(O&M)o wherebyotheopetitionofiledobyotheopetitionerowasodismissed.o

2.oTheopetitionerohasobeenoinocustodyoforoaoperiodoofooneoyearoando fouro monthso ino connectiono witho FIRoSLPo (Crl.)o No.3502/2025o No.29/2023o datedo 26.03.2023o registeredo ato P.S.o Kalanaur,o DistrictoGurdaspurounderoSectionso21,o23,o27(A),o29oofoNarcotico DrugsoandoPsychotropicoSubstancesoAct,o1985,oSectiono66(F)oofo theo Informationo Technologyo Act,o 2000o andoSectiono 25oofo Armso Act,o1959.o

3.oHavingoheardolearnedocounseloforotheoparties,oandoperusedotheo materialoplacedoonorecord,oweoareoofotheoconsideredoviewothatotheo petitionerohasomadeooutocaseoforointerferenceowithotheoimpugnedo orderodatedo25.11.2024.o CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o3o o o o

4.oConsideringotheototalityoofocircumstancesoandoalsootheofactothato theopetitioneroisoinocustodyoforoaoperiodoofooneoyearoandofouro months,oweoareoinclinedotoograntobailotootheopetitioneroonosucho termsoandoconditionsoasomayobeofixedobyotheoTrialoCourt.oOrderedo accordingly.o

5.oToocomplyowithotheo order,otheopetitioneroshallobeoproducedo beforeotheoTrialoCourtoforthwith.o

6.oTheospecialoleaveopetitionois,oaccordingly,odisposedoof.o 7oPendingoapplication(s),oifoany,ostandsodisposedoof."o oo

4.oo o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo presento petitiono byo arguingo thato theo allegationso raisedo againsto theo petitionero areo seriouso ino nature.oLearnedoStateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheoFIRoinoquestiono pertainsotoorecoveryoofosixopistols,osevenomagazinesoalongwitho77obulletsoando Rs.35,70,000/-oofodrugomoneyoasowelloand,otherefore,otheobarounderoSectiono 37oofotheoNDPS,o1985oisoattracted.ooFurthermore,oexpressingoconcernsoabouto theopossibilityoofotheopetitionerofleeingofromotheotrialoproceedings,olearnedo Stateocounselosubmitsothatopetitionerooughtonotobeograntedotheoconcessionoofo regularobail.oHeohas,oaccordingly,osoughtoforodismissaloofotheopetitionoino hand.o o o Heo alsoo seekso too placeo ono recordo custodyo certificateo datedo

04.09.2025oinoCourt,owhichoisotakenoonorecord.o

5.oo o Io haveo heardo counselo foro theo rivalo partieso ando haveo goneo throughotheoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.o

6.oo o Theopetitionerowasoarrestedoono11.04.2023oandoisoinocontinuouso custody.o Thereafter,o investigationo waso carriedo outo ando challano waso presentedoono21.09.2023owhereinototalo22oprosecutionowitnessesohaveobeeno cited,ooutoofowhichoonlyooneohasobeenoexamined-in-chiefotillodate.oooTheo rivalo contentionso raisedo ato Baro giveo riseo too debatableo issueso shallo beo ratiocinatedouponoduringotheocourseoofotrial.oThisoCourtodoesonotodeemoito CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o4o o o o appropriateotoodelveodeepointootheseorivalocontentions,oatothisostage,olestoito mayo prejudiceo theo trial.o Nothingo tangibleo haso beeno broughto forwardo too indicateotheolikelihoodoofotheopetitioneroabscondingofromotheoprocessoofo justiceoorointerferingowithotheoprosecutionoevidence.o

6.1o o Theotrialoisoindeedoprocrastinatingoandofollyothereofocannotobeo saddledouponotheopetitioner.oAsoperocustodyocertificateodatedo04.09.2025ofiledo byotheolearnedoStateocounsel,otheopetitionerohasoalreadyosufferedoincarcerationo foroaoperiodoofo02oyears,o04omonthsoando16odayso&oisostatedotoobeoshownoinooneo moreocase.oInothisoviewoofotheomatter,otheorigoroimposedounderoSectiono37oofo theoNDPSoActostandsodilutedoinolightoofotheoArticleo21oofotheoConstitutionoofo India.oo

6.2.o o ThisoCourtoinoaojudgmentotitledoasoKulwinderoversusoStateoofo PunjabopassedoinoCRM-M-64074-2024o(2025:PHHC:002695);oafterorelyingo uponotheoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoino HussainaraoKhatoonovs.oHomeoSecy.,oStateoofoBiharo(1980)o1oSCCo81;oAbdulo RehmanoAntulayovsoR.S.oNayako(1992)o1oSCCo225;oJavedoGulamoNabioShaikho vs.oStateoofoMaharashtraoandoanother,o2024(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o494;oMohdo Muslimo@oHussainovs.oStateo(NCToofoDelhi)oreportedoaso2023oINSCo311;o CriminaloAppealoNo.245/2020odatedo07.02.2020otitledoaso"ChittaoBiswasoAliaso Subhasovs.oTheoStateoofoWestoBengal";o"NitishoAdhikaryo@oBapanovs.oTheo StateoofoWestoBengal",oSpecialoLeaveotooAppealo(Crl.)oNo.5530-2022odatedo

22.08.2022o titledo aso "Mohammado Salmano Hanifo Shaikho vs.o Theo Stateo ofo Gujarat";oCriminaloAppealoNo.1169oofo2022odatedo05.08.2022otitledoasoGopalo KrishnaoPatrao@oGopalrusmaovs.oUnionoofoIndia,oandoAnkuroChaudharyovs.o StateoofoMadhyaoPradesh,o2024(4)oRCRo(Criminal)o172;ohasoheld,othus:oo CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o5o o o o o"7.8.o o Theorightotooaospeedyoandoexpeditiousotrialoisonotoonlyoao vitalo safeguardo too prevento undueo ando oppressiveo incarceration;o too mitigateoanxietyoandoconcernoaccompanyingotheoaccusationoasowelloasotoo curtailoanyoimpairmentoinotheoabilityoofoanoaccusedotoodefendohimself,obuto thereoisoanooverarchingosocietalointerestopavingowayoforoaospeedyotrial.o Thisorightohasobeenorepeatedlyoactuatedoinotheorecentopastoandotheoratioo decidendioofotheoabove-referredotooSupremeoCourt'sojudgmentsohaveolaido downoaoseriesoofodecisionsoopeningouponewovistasoofofundamentalorights.oo TheoconceptoofospeedyotrialoisoamalgamatedointootheoArticleo21oasoano essentialopartoofotheofundamentalorightotoolifeoandoliberty,oguaranteedoando preservedounderoouroConstitution.ooTheorightotoospeedyotrialobeginsowitho theoactualorestraintoimposedoatotheotimeoofotheoarrestoofotheoaccusedoando 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 possibleoprejudiceothatomayoresultodueotooimpermissibleoandoavoidableo delayosinceotheotimeoofotheocommissionoofotheooffenceotillotheocriminalo proceedingsoconsummateointooaofinality,ocouldobeoaverted.ooTheospeedyo trial,o earlyo hearingo ando quicko disposalo areo sineo quao nono ofo criminalo jurisprudence.o Theo overcrowdedo Court-dockets,o theo heavyo volumeo ofo worko ando theo resultanto pressureo ono theo prosecutiono ando theo Police,o indubitablyokeepsotheoentireocriminalojurisprudentialomechanismoundero stressoandostrain.ooHowever,othisocannotobeoanoexcuseoforokeepingotheo swordoofoDamoclesohangingoonotheoaccusedoforoanoindefiniteoperiodoofo time.ooItodoesonotoserveoanyocreditotootheocriminalojusticeosystem,oratheroito makeso foro ao sado stateo ofo affairs.o Theo guaranteeo ofo ao speedyo trialo iso intendedo too avoido oppressiono ando prevento delayo byo imposingo ono theo Courtoandotheoprosecutionoanoobligationotooproceedowithotheotrialowithoao reasonableodispatch.ooTheoguaranteeoservesoaothreefoldopurpose.oFirstly,o ito protectso theo accusedo againsto oppressiveo pre-trialo imprisonment;o secondly,oitorelievesotheoaccusedoofotheoanxietyoandopublicosuspicionodueo toounresolvedocriminalochargesoandolastly,oitoprotectsoagainstotheoriskothato evidenceowillobeolostooromemoriesodimmedobyotheopassageoofotime,othus,o impairingotheoabilityoofotheoaccusedotoodefendohimself.oItogoesowithouto sayingothatotheoconsequencesoofopre-trialodetentionoareograve.oAccused,o presumedoinnocent,otilloprovenootherwise,oareosubjectedotoopsychologicalo andophysicalodeprivationsoofojail-life,ousuallyounderoonerousoconditions.o Equallyoimportant,otheoburdenoofodetentionoofosuchoanoaccusedofrequentlyo fallsoheavilyoonotheoinnocentomembersoofohisofamily.ooo o o o Thereoisoyetoanotheroaspectoofotheomatterowhichodeserveso considerationoatothisostage.oTheoallegationsoinotheopresentocaseorelateotoo accusedobeingoinvolvedo inoanoFIRorelatingotoocommercialoquantityoofo contrabando undero theo NDPSo Act,o 1985.o o Whileo consideringo ao bailo petitionoinoaocaseoinvolvingocommercialoquantity,otheoCourtohasotookeepo inomindotheorigoursoenumeratedounderoSectiono37oofoNDPSoAct,o1985o whicho mandateso thato Courtso cano granto bailo too ano accusedo onlyo aftero hearingotheopublicoprosecutoroandoafterohavingosatisfiedoitselfoofotwino conditionsowhichoareoreasonableogroundsoforobelievingothatotheoaccusedo isonotoguiltyoofotheooffenceocharged/allegedoandothat,oheoisonotolikelyotoo commitoanyooffenceowhileoonobail.ooTheostringentorigoursoofoSectiono37oofo theo NDPSo Act,o 1985o musto beo meticulouslyo scrutinizedo againsto theo backdropoofoaccused'sofundamentalorightotooaospeedyotrial.ooTheorightotoo lifeoandopersonalolibertyocannotobeorenderedonugatoryobyounwarrantedo delaysoinotheojudicialoprocess,oparticularlyowhereosuchodelay(s)oisoneithero attributableotootheoaccusedonorojustifiedoatotheoendoofotheoprosecutionobyo cogento reasons.o Ano individualo cannoto beo kepto behindo barso foro ano inordinateo periodo ofo timeo byo takingo refugeo ino rigourso laido downo ino CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o6o o o o Sectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985.ooTheolegislatureoinoitsowisdom,oino orderotooensureospeedyoandotimelyodisposaloofotheocasesounderotheoAct,o hasoprovidedoforotheoconstitutionoofospecialoCourtsounderoSectiono36-Aoofo theoAct.ooHowever,othisoCourtocannototurnoNelson'soeyeotootheoprotractedo delaysoandosystematicoinefficiencyothatofrustrateothisolegislativeopurpose.oo AoCourtoofolawoisoduty-boundotooensureothatoitodoesonotobecomeocomplicito ino violationo ofo ano individual'so fundamentalo rights,o notwithstandingo anythingocontainedoinoaostatute.ooWhileodealingowithobailopetitionoinoao caseogovernedobyotheorigoursoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985,otheo Courtomustostrikeoaojudiciousobalanceobetweenotheolegislativeointentotoo curbotheomenaceoofodrugsoandotheosacrosanctorightoofotheoaccusedotooao fairoandoexpeditiousotrial.ooProlongedoincarceration,owithoutojustifiableo cause,orisksotransformingopre-trialodetentionointoopunitiveoimprisonment,o anooutcomeoantitheticalotootheoprincipleoofojusticeoandoequity.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,ocannotobeosaidotoobeofetteredobyoSectiono 37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985."o o o o

6.3.oo o Indubitably,o theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo attempto ono behalfoofotheopetitioneroforosecuringoregularobail.ooTheofirstooneobearingono.o CRM-M-64998-2023o waso dismissedo aso withdrawno ono 25.11.2024.ooo However,okeepingoinoviewotheoentiretyoofofactsoandocircumstanceoofotheocaseo inohand,oespeciallyokeepingoinoviewotheoextendedocustodyoandopaceoofotrial,o thisoCourtoisoinclinedotoofavourablyoconsiderotheoinstantopleaoforobail.oAo profitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooaojudgmentoofothisoCourto passedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023otitledoasoRafiqoKhanoversusoStateoofoHaryanao andoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Aso ano epilogueo too theo aboveo discussion,o theo followingo principlesoemerge:oo Io Second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o filedo iso maintainableo ino lawo &o henceo sucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedosolelyoonotheogroundoofomaintainabilityothereof.o o II.oo Sucho second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedo aso noto pressed/dismissedo foro non-prosecutionooroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.oo CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o7o o o o o IIIo oForo theo second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o too succeed,otheopetitioner/applicantoshallobeoessentially/pertinentlyo requiredo too showo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso ando showingoofoaomereosuperficialooroostensibleochangeowouldonoto suffice.oTheometaphoricoexpressionoofoseekingosecond/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughto noto beo abstractedo intoo literalo iterationso ofo petition(s)o withouto substantial,o effectiveo ando consequentialo changeoinocircumstances.oo o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whato wouldo constituteo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso aso everyocaseohasoitsoownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oMakingosucho anoattemptoisonothingobutoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueo isobestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourto dealingowithosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s).o o Vo oIno caseo ao Courto chooseso too granto second/successiveo regularobailopetition(s),ocogentoandolucidoreasonsoareopertinentlyo requiredotoobeorecordedoforograntingosuchopleaodespiteosuchoao pleao beingo second/successiveo petition(s).o Ino othero words,o theo causeoforoaoCourtohavingosuccessfullyocountenanced/entertainedo suchosecond/successiveopetition(s)ooughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyo decipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed."o o o o Further,oasoperocustodyocertificateodatedo04.09.2025ofiledobyo theolearnedoStateocounsel,otheopetitioneroisostatedotoobeoinvolvedoinooneomoreo case.o o However,o thiso factumo cannoto beo ao groundo sufficiento byo itself,o too declineo theo concessiono ofo regularo bailo too theo petitionero ino theo FIRo ino questionowhenoaocaseoisomadeooutoforograntooforegularobailoquaotheoFIRoino questiono byo ratiocinatingo upono theo facts/circumstanceso ofo theo saido FIR.o RelianceoinothisoregardocanobeoplacedouponotheojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleo SupremeoCourtoinoMaulanaoMohd.oAmiroRashadiov.oStateoofoU.P.oando another,o2012o(1)oRCRo(Criminal)o586;oaoDivisionoBenchojudgmentoofotheo Hon'bleoCalcuttaoHighoCourtoinocaseoofoSridharoDasov.oState,o1998o(2)o RCRo(Criminal)o477o&ojudgmentsoofothisoCourtoinoCRM-MoNo.38822-2022otitledoasoAkhileshoSinghov.oStateoofoHaryana,odecidedoono29.11.2021,o andoBalrajov.oStateoofoHaryana,o1998o(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o191.ooo CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o8o o o o o o Sufficeotoosay,otheofurtherodetentionoofotheopetitioneroinocustodyo isonotorequiredoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.ooo

7.o o Inoviewoofotheoabove,otheopetitionoisoallowed.ooPetitioneroiso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobailoonohisofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotoo theosatisfactionoofotheolearnedoconcernedoCJM/DutyoMagistrate.oHowever,o inoadditionotooconditionsothatomayobeoimposedobyotheoconcernedoCJM/Dutyo Magistrate,otheopetitioneroshalloremainoboundobyotheofollowingoconditions:-o o (i)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotomis-useotheolibertyogranted.oo o (ii)oo Theo petitionero shallo noto tampero witho anyo evidence,o o oraloorodocumentary,oduringotheotrial.oo o (iii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotoabsentohimselfoonoanyodateo o beforeotheotrial.oo o (iv)oo Theo petitionero shallo noto commito anyo offenceo whileo o onobail.oo o (v)oo Theopetitioneroshallodepositohisopassport,oifoany,oowitho o theotrialoCourt.oo o (vi)oo Theo petitionero shallo giveo hiso cello phoneo numbero too o theo Investigatingo Officer/SHOo ofo concernedo Policeo o Stationoandoshallonotochangeohisocell-phoneonumbero o withouto prioro permissiono ofo theo trialo Court/Illaqao o Magistrate.o o (vii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotoinoanyomannerotryotoodelayo o theotrial.oo ooooooooooooooooooooo(viii)o Theopetitioneroshallosubmit,oonotheofirstoworkingodayo ofoeveryomonth,oanoaffidavit,obeforeotheoconcernedo trialo Court,o too theo effecto thato heo haso noto beeno involvedoinocommissionoofoanyooffenceoafterobeingo releasedoonobail.oInocaseotheopetitioneroisofoundotoobeo involvedoinoanyooffenceoafterohisobeingoenlargedoono bailoinotheopresentoFIR,oonotheobasisoofoheroaffidavito oro otherwise,o theo Stateo iso mandatedo too move,o CRM-M-47933-2025o o P a g e o|o9o o o o forthwith,oforocancellationoofohisobailowhichoplea,obuto ofocourse,oshallobeoratiocinatedouponomeritsothereof.o

8.o o Inocaseoofobreachoofoanyoofotheoaforesaidoconditionsoandothoseo whicho mayo beo imposedo byo concernedo CJM/Dutyo Magistrateo aso directedo hereinaboveo oro upono showingo anyo othero sufficiento cause,o theo State/complainantoshallobeoatolibertyotoomoveocancellationoofobailoofotheo petitioner.oo

9.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressiono ofoopinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

11.oo o Sinceotheomainocaseohasobeenodecided,opendingomiscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o ooooooo o (SUMEEToGOEL) o o oooooooooooooooooooooo o o oooooooooooooooooooJUDGEo Septembero04,o2025o Naveeno o o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo