Ravi Kumar v. State of Punjab

1o o o 254o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHoCHANDIGARH o o RavioKumaroo ….Petitionero versuso o StateoofoPunjaboo ….Respondento o DateoofoDecision:oJanuaryo12,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oJanuaryo13,o2026o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oTajeshwaroSinghoSullar,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oJaypreetoSingh,oDAGoPunjab.oo o *****o***** SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)ooSUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL) o o o Presento petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 483o ofo theo BharatiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNSS')oforograntoofo regularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.355odatedo05.12.2023,o registeredoforotheooffencesopunishableounderoSectiono22oofotheoNarcoticoDrugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Act,o 1985o (foro shorto 'NDPSo Act'),o ato Policeo StationoCityoRajpura,oDistrictoPatiala.oo

2.o o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatotheopetitioneroisoano accusedo ofo beingo involvedo ino ano FIRo pertainingo too NDPSo Acto involvingo allegedorecoveryoofo13900ointoxicantotabletsocontainedoino1390ostripsoeacho containedo 10o stripso "TRAMWELo SR",o ingredientso detectedo ino theo parcelo beingoTramadoloHydrochlorideo(weighingo537.6ograms)oando2700ointoxicanto

o o 2o o tabletso containedo ino 270o stripso eacho stripo containedo 10o tabletso labeledo aso ALPRASAFE,oingredientsodetectedoinotheoparcelobeingoAlprazolamo(weighingo

361.8ograms)ofromotheopetitioner.oo

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatotheopetitionero isoinocustodyosinceo05.12.2023.oLearnedocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothato mandatoryoprovisionsoofotheoNDPSoActohaveonotoscrupulouslyobeenocompliedo with,oandothus,otheoprosecutionocaseosuffersofromoinherentodefects.oLearnedo counselohasoiteratedothatotheotrialoisodelayedoandotheoliabilityothereofocannotobeo fastenedo upono theo petitioner.o Learnedo counselo haso furthero iteratedo thato theo petitionerohasosufferedoincarcerationoforomoreothano02oyears.oThus,oregularobailo isoprayedofor.oo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateocounselohasoopposedotheopresentopetitiono byo arguingo thato theo allegationso raisedo againsto theo petitionero areo seriouso ino natureoand,othus,otheopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularo bail.oLearnedoStateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatopetitionoinohandodoeso notomeetotheorigorsoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoActoandois,othus,oliableotoobeo rejectedoonothisoscoreoalone.oLearnedoStateocounseloseeksotooplaceoonorecordo custodyocertificateodatedo10.01.2026,oinotheoCourtotoday,owhichoisotakenoono record.oAsoperotheosaidocustody,otheopetitionerohasosufferedoincarcerationoofo moreothano02oyearso&oisoinvolvedoinootheroFIR(s).oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandoperusedotheopaper-bookoasoalsootheorecordoproducedobeforeome.oo

6.o o Beforeodelvingofurtherointootheomeritsoofotheocase,oitowouldobeo appositeotooreferohereinotootheofollowingocase-lawogermaneotootheomatter(s)oino issue:o

o o 3o o

i)o TheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinotheocaseoofoUnionoofoIndiao versusoNamdeooAshrubaoNakade,oSpecialoLeaveotooAppealo(Crl.)o No.9792/2025,ohasoheldoasounder:o "8.oo ThisoCourtoisoofotheoviewothatotheoissueoofosubstanceoabuseo haso emergedo aso ao globalo publico healtho crisiso ino theo twenty-firsto century,oaffectingoeveryocountryoworldwide,oasodrugotraffickingoando addictiono haveo becomeo pervasive.o Theo Unitedo Nationso Officeo ono DrugsoandoCrimeo(UNODC)oreportedoinoitso2025oWorldoDrugoReporto thato "Aso ato 2023,o someo 316o milliono peopleo worldwideo hado usedo drugsoinotheopastoyear,orepresentingoanoincreaseooverotheopastodecadeo thato outpaceso populationo growth,o whicho indicateso ao highero prevalenceoofodrugouse."oo

9.oo InoIndia,othereohasobeenoaoconcerningoincreaseoinodrugoabuseo amongo theo youth.o Substanceo abuseo noto onlyo affectso individuals,o families,oandocommunitiesobutoalsoounderminesovariousoaspectsoofo healthoincludingophysical,osocial,opolitical,oculturalofoundations,oando mentalo well-being.o (See:o "Bhattacharyao S,o Menono GS,o Gargo S,o GroveroA,oSaleemoSM,oKushwahaoP.oTheolingeringomenaceoofodrugo abuseo amongo theo Indiano youtho –o it'so timeo foro action.o Indiano Jo CommunityoMedo2025;50:S9-12,opublishedoono17thoApril,o2025")oo

10.oo Accordingotoomanyonewsoreports,oIndiaofacesoaoclearodilemmao betweenotacklingotheonarcoticsocrisisosystematicallyoorosacrificingoitso mostovaluableoresourceoi.e.oitsoyoungopeople.oTheoextentoofomenaceo ofodrugoabuseohasoalsoobeenohighlightedobyothisoCourtoinotheocaseoofo AnkushoVipanoKapoorov.oNationaloInvestigationoAgency,o(2025)o5o SCCo155owhereinothisoCourtohasoobservedoasounder:oo "9.1oo Theo illso ofo drugo abuseo seemo too beo shadowingo theo lengthoandobreadthoofoourocountryowithotheoCentraloandoeveryo StateoGovernmentofightingoagainstotheomenaceoofosubstanceo abuse.oTheodebilitatingoimpactoofodrugotradeoandodrugoabuseo isoanoimmediateoandoseriousoconcernoforoIndia.oAsotheoglobeo grappleso witho theo menaceo ofo escalatingo Substanceo Useo Disorderso("SUD")oandoanoeveroaccessibleodrugomarket,otheo consequencesoleaveoaogenerationaloPageo75oofo84oimprintoono publicohealthoandoevenonationalosecurity.oArticleo47oofotheo ConstitutionomakesoitoaodutyoofotheoStateotooregardotheoraisingo ofo theo levelo ofo nutritiono ando theo standardo ofo livingo ofo itso peopleoandotheoimprovementoofopublicohealthoasoamongoitso primaryodutiesoandoinoparticularotheoStateoshalloendeavourotoo bringo abouto prohibitiono ofo theo consumptiono excepto foro medicinalopurposesoofointoxicatingodrinksoandoofodrugsowhicho areo injuriouso too health.o Theo Stateo haso ao responsibilityo too addresso theo rooto causeso ofo thiso predicamento ando developo effectiveo interventiono strategieso too ensureo thato India'so youngero population,o whicho iso particularlyo vulnerableo too substanceoabuse,oisoprotectedoandosavedofromosuchomenace.o Thiso iso particularlyo becauseo substanceo abuseo iso linkedo too socialo problemso ando cano contributeo too childo maltreatment,o spousaloviolence,oandoevenopropertyocrimeoinoaofamily."oo

11.oo Ino theo presento case,o thiso Courto findso thato thougho theo Respondent-accusedowasoinocustodyoforooneoyearofouromonthsoando chargeso haveo noto beeno framed,o yeto theo allegationso areo seriouso inasmucho aso noto onlyo iso theo recoveryo mucho ino excesso ofo theo

o o 4o o commercialoquantityobutotheoRespondent-accusedoallegedlyogototheo cavitieso ingeniouslyo fabricatedo belowo theo trailoro too concealo theo contraband.oo

12.oo PrimaofacieothisoCourtoisoofotheoopinionothatotheoRespondent-accusedo iso involvedo ino drugo traffickingo ino ano organizedo manner.o Consequently,onoocaseoforodispensingowithomandatoryorequiremento ofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoActoisomadeooutoinotheopresentomatter.oo

13.oo Moreover,othisoCourtoisoofotheoviewothatoasotheoaccusedohaso beeno chargedo witho offenceso punishableo witho teno too twentyo yearso rigorousoimprisonment,oitocannotobeosaidothatotheoRespondentohaso beenoincarceratedoforoanounreasonablyolongotime."o o

ii)o Further,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinotheocaseoofoUniono ofoIndiaoversusoViginoK.oVarghese,oSpecialoLeaveoPetitiono(Crl.)o No(s).7768oofo2025,ohasoheldoasounder:o "15.oo Ato thiso stage,o twoo featureso stando out.o Theo Higho Court'so conclusionothatothereoisonoomaterialotooshowothatotheoapplicantohado anyoknowledgeoofotheococaineoinotheoconsignmentohasobeenoarrivedoato withouto discussiono ofo theo statementso ofo theo respondento ando circumstanceso reliedo upono byo theo prosecution,o includingo theo assertiono thato theo respondento hado placedo theo orderso foro import,o controlledo theo logisticso chain,o coordinatedo witho theo overseaso supplier,oandowasopresentowhenotheoconsignmentowasoopened.oTheo HighoCourtohasonotoexaminedowhetherothoseocircumstances,otakenoato faceovalueoforotheolimitedopurposeoofobail,ocouldoprimaofacieoindicateo consciouso controlo oro involvemento sufficiento too attracto theo presumptionoofoculpableomentalostateoindicatedounderoSectiono35oofo theoNDPSoAct.oo

16.oo Further,o whileo grantingo bail,otheoHighoCourto recordedothato thereowereonooantecedentsoagainstotheoapplicant.oTheomaterialobeforeo thisoCourtoincludesotheoUnion'soassertionothatotheorespondentohado alreadyobeenoapprehendedoinoconnectionowithoanoearlieroseizureoofo approximatelyo 198.1o kilogramso ofo Methamphetamineo ando 9.035o kilogramsoofoCocaineoallegedlyoimportedothroughotheosameochannelo onlyo dayso beforeo theo presento seizure.o Thato assertiono iso neithero noticedonoroansweredoinotheoimpugnedoorders.oo

17.oo Theo Higho Courto then,o ono theo strengtho ofo thoseo premises,o recordedoaofindingothatothereoexistoreasonableogroundsotoobelieveothato theoapplicantoisonotoguiltyoofotheoallegedooffence,otreatingoprolongedo incarcerationoandolikelyodelayoasotheojustificationoforobail.oSuchoao findingoisonotoaocasualoobservation.oItoisotheostatutoryothresholdoundero Sectiono37(1)(b)(ii)owhichowouldodisentitleotheodiscretionaryoreliefo andograntoofobailomustonecessarilyorestoonocarefuloappraisaloofotheo materialoavailable.oAoconclusionoofothisonature,oiforeturnedowithouto addressingo theo prosecution'so assertionso ofo operativeo controlo ando antecedento involvement,o riskso trenchingo upono appreciationo ofo evidenceo whicho wouldo beo ino theo domaino ofo trialo courto ato firsto instance."o o

iii)o Thiso Courto ino theo caseo ofo Jaswindero Singho aliaso Kalao versuso Stateo ofo Punjab,o passedo ino CRM-M-33729-2025o

o o 5o o (2025:PHHC:089161)o =o 2025o SCCo OnLineo P&H4537;o aftero relyingouponotheoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino Uniono ofo Indiao vs.o Thamisharasio &o Ors,o 1995(4)oSCCo190,oCustoms,oNewoDelhiovs.oAhmadalievaoNodira,o 2004o(3)oSCCo549,oUnionoofoIndiaovs.oShrioShivoShankeroKesari,o 2007(4)oRCR(Criminal)o186,oSatpaloSinghovs.oStateoofoPunjab,o 2018o (13)o SCCo 813,o Narcoticso Controlo Bureauo vs.o Mohito Aggarwal,o2022oLiveLawo(SC)o613,oMohd.oMuslimo@oHussaino vs.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o 2023o LiveLawo (SC)o 260,o Narcoticso Controlo Bureauo vs.o Kashif,o 2024o INSCo 1045,o Usmanbhaio Dawoodbhaio Memono vs.o Stateo ofo Gujarat,o 1988(1)o RCR(Criminal)o540,oRanjitsingoBrahmajeetsingoSharmaovs.oStateo ofoMaharashtrao&oAnr.o2005(5)oSCCo294,oCentraloBureauoofo Investigationovs.oVs.oVijayoSaioReddy,o2013(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o 252,oMunicipaloCorporationoofoDelhiovs.oM/soJaganoNathoAshoko Kumaro ando another,o 1987(4)o SCCo 497,o Gujarato Watero Supplyo andoSewerageoBoardovs.oUniqueoErectorso(Gujarat)o(P)oLtd.,oando another,o 1987(1)o SCCo 532,o Collectoro ando otherso vs.o P.o Mangammao ando others,o 2003(4)o SCCo 488,o Commissionero ofo Income-tax,oDelhiovs.oS.oTejaoSingh,o1958oSCCoOnlineoSCo30,o Managemento ofo Advanceo Insuranceo Co.o Ltd.o Vs.o Shrio Gurudasmalo ando otherso 1970(1)o SCCo 633,o Tinsukhiao Electrico Supplyo Co.o Ltd.o Vs.o Stateo ofo Assam,o 1989(3)o SCCo 709o ando Commissionero ofo Incomeo Taxo vs.o Hindustano Bulko Carriers,o 2003(3)oSCCo57;ohasoheld,othus:oo

o o 6o o "14.o o Asoaosequiturotooabove-saidorumination,otheofollowingo postulatesoemerge:o

(I)o (i)o Aobailopleaoonomerits;oinorespectoofoanoFIRounderoNDPSoActo ofo 1985o involvingo offence(s)o undero Sectiono 19o oro Sectiono 24o oro Sectiono 27-Ao thereofo ando foro offence(s)o involvingo commercialo quantity;oisoessentiallyorequiredotoomeetowithotheorigour(s)oofoSectiono 37oofoNDPSoAct.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 hasosufferedolongounder-trialocustody,otheotrialoisoprocrastinatingoando follyothereofoisonotoattributableotoosuchobail-applicant.ooo o II.o TheotwinoconditionsocontainedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)oofoNDPSoActoareo inoadditionotootheoconditions/parametersocontainedoinoCr.P.C./BNSSo oroanyootheroapplicableoextantolaw.oo o III.o TheotwinoconditionsocontainedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)oofoNDPSoActoareo cumulativeoinonatureoandonotoalternativeoi.e.obothotheoconditionsoareo requiredotoobeosatisfiedoforoaobail-pleaotoobeosuccessful.ooo o IV.o ForoconsiderationobyobailoCourtoofotheoconditionostipulatedoinoSectiono 37(1)(b)(i)o ofo NDPSo Acto i.e.o "thereo areo reasonableo groundso foro believingothatoheoisonotoguiltyoofosuchooffence":o o

(i)o TheobailoCourtooughtotoosiftothroughoallorelevantomaterial,o includingo case-dairy,o exclusivelyo foro theo limitedo purposeo ofo adjudicatingosuchobailoplea.o o

(ii)o Sucho consideration,o concerningo theo assessmento ofo guilto oro innocence,oshouldonotomirrorotheosameodegreeoofoscrutinyorequiredo foro ano acquittalo ofo theo accusedo ato theo finalo adjudicationo &o culminationoofotrial.oo o

(iii)o Plea(s)o ofo defenceo byo applicant-accused,o ifo any,o includingo material/documentsoinosupportothereof,omayobeolookedointoobyotheo bail-Courtowhileoadjudicatingosuchobailoplea.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 requiringo ao demonstrableoandosubstantialoprobabilityoofore-offendingobyotheobail-applicant,oratherothanoaomereotheoreticaloone,oasonooCourtocanopredicto futureoconductoofotheobail-applicant.oo o

(ii)o Theo entireo factualo matrixo ofo ao giveno caseo includingo theo antecedentso ofo theo bail-applicant,o roleo ascribedo too him,o ando theo natureo ofo offenceo areo requiredo too beo delvedo into.o o However,o theo involvementoofobail-applicantoinoanotheroNDPS/otherooffenceocannoto ipsoofactooresultoinotheoconclusionoofohisopropensityoforocommittingo offenceoinotheofuture.o

o o 7o o o

(iii)o Theo bail-Courto may,o ato theo timeo ofo grantingo bail,o imposeo uponotheoapplicant-accusedoaoconditionothatoheowouldosubmit,oatosucho regularotimeoperiod/intervaloasomayostipulatedobyotheoCourtograntingo bail,o ano affidavito beforeo concernedo Specialo Judgeo ofo NDPSo Court/Illaqao (Jurisdictional)o Judicialo Magistrate/concernedo Policeo Station,otootheoeffectothatoheohasonotobeenoinvolvedoinocommissionoofo anyooffenceoafterobeingoreleasedoonobail.ooInotheofactsoofoaogivenocase,o impositionoofosuchoconditionomayobeoconsideredotoobeosufficientoforo satisfactionoofoconditionoenumeratedoinoSectiono37(1)(b)(ii).ooo o VI.oo Thereoisonoogainsayingothatotheonature,omodeoandoextentoofoexerciseo ofopowerobyoaoCourt;owhileosatisfyingoitselforegardingotheoconditionso stipulatedoinoSectiono37oofoNDPSoAct;oshallodependouponotheojudicialo discretionoexercisedobyosuchoCourtoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofo aogivenocase.oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoaso toowhatowouldoconstituteoparametersoforosatisfactionooforequiremento undero Sectiono 37o (ibid)o aso everyo caseo haso itso owno uniqueo facts/circumstances.o o Makingo sucho ano attempto iso nothingo buto ao utopiano endeavour.o o Ergo,o thiso issueo iso besto lefto too theo judicialo wisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourtodealingowithosuchomatter."o o

7.o o Theo petitionero waso arrestedo ono 05.12.2023o whereinaftero investigationowasocarriedooutoandochallanowasopresentedoono18.05.2024.oOutoofo totalocitedo11oprosecutionowitnesses,o01ohasobeenoexaminedopartlyoando02ohaveo beenoexaminedocompletelyotillodate.oTheotrialoisounderway.oIndubitably,otheo petitioneroisoinvolvedoinotheoFIRoinoquestionopertainingotoocommercialoquantityo ofo Tramadolo Hydrochlorideo (weighingo 537.6o grams)o ando Alprazolamo (weighingo361.8ograms)oasoperoNDPSoAct,o1985.oFromotheorivalosubmissionso asoalsootheomaterialobroughtoforthobeforeome,onoocauseoisomadeooutoinofavouroofo theopetitionerotoomeetowithotheorigorsoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct.oHence,o keepingo ino viewo theo entiretyo ofo theo factualo milieuo ofo theo caseo ino hand;o especiallyotheocontrabandoallegedotoobeorecoveredobeingocommercialoquantityo ofo Tramadolo Hydrochlorideo (weighingo 537.6o grams)o ando Alprazolamo (weighingo361.8ograms),oandotheoantecedentsoofotheopetitioner,owhichoreflecto otheroFIR(s)oagainstohim,oandoino02oFIR(s)ocasesounderotheoNDPSoAct,oheohaso beenoconvictedoasowell;otheopetitionoinohandodeservesotoobeodismissed.oo

o o 8o o

8.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

9.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

10.oo o Sinceotheomainocaseohasobeenodecided,opendingomiscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o ooo o oooooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o ooooooJUDGEo Januaryo12,o2026o mahavirooo o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

o o