New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has refused to grant bail to a man in a case under the anti-drugs law, saying that he was part of a well-organised cartel involved in the supply of charas and if released, he was likely to commit the same offence again.
Justice Subramonium Prasad relied on a Supreme Court decision to highlight the deleterious impact of narcotic drugs on society and how the menace of drug addiction not only has the ability to destroy the life of one individual but also the lives of generations to come.
The judge said that while considering bail pleas in cases related to narcotic drugs, the purpose of enacting the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, which is to curb the menace, must be borne in mind.
“The consequences of dealing with drugs and drug abuse can be experienced across the board, from causing economic issues to societal disintegration. The purpose of enacting the NDPS Act was to curb this menace, and this purpose must be borne in mind while considering the grant of bail pertaining to the NDPS Act,” the court said in its recent order.
In the present case, the petitioner was apprehended by the police when he was in the company of the co-accused, Suraj, who was carrying 10 kg of charas, which is a commercial quantity under the law.
The prosecution said that it had received information from a source that certain people would be bringing contraband from Himachal Pradesh.
The prosecution opposed the petitioner’s bail and informed the court that the call data record of the accused persons indicate that they were in communication with each other and that the petitioner had even contacted one Chhering who is the kingpin of the drug cartel.
The court opined that all the factors, coupled with the fact that the petitioner was in touch with the absconding kingpin, “indicate that the petitioner is a part of the well-organised drug cartel dealing with supply of charas”.
The court said that the petitioner failed to show reasonable grounds that he was innocent and thus dismissed his bail plea.
“The petitioner has not been able to satisfy that there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is not guilty of such an offence. The fact that he is a member of the cartel gives a strong apprehension that he is likely to commit such an offence in the future as well,” the court said.
Earlier, the petitioner’s bail application was rejected by a trial court on the ground that he was present in the car from where the contraband of a commercial quantity was seized and that the case was at an initial stage where charges were yet to be framed. PTI ADS SMN SMN
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Source: The Print
