Allowed

Munna Mustaq v. State of U.P.

Allahabad HC3 May 2023BAIL/11034/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

This judgment grants bail to the applicant in a narcotics offense, holding that immediate compliance with Section 50 cannot be decided at the bail stage and referencing Supreme Court precedents to affirm the standard of reasonable grounds under Section 37 of the NDPS Act without declaring the accused not guilty.

What did the court decide?

Applicant released on bail on furnishing a personal bond with two sureties, subject to conditions of presence and appearance in court.

Munna Mustaq Vs State of U.P. — Narcotics (NDPS) | Allahabad HC (2023)

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Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:102902

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Court No. - 86

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Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 11034 of 2023

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Applicant :- Munna Mustaq Opposite Party :- State of U.P. Counsel for Applicant :- Chandra Prakash Pandey Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.

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Hon'ble Vivek Kumar Singh,J.

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Heard learned counsel for applicant, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record.

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Learned counsel for the applicant has submitted that applicant has been falsely implicated in the present case due to ulterior motive, on the basis of false and planted recovery of 2.997 kg Ganja has been recovered from the joint possession of three persons including the applicant and there is no public witness of the alleged recovery. It is further contended that mandatory provision of Section 50 of N.D.P.S Act has not been complied with. At the stage of consideration of bail it cannot be decided whether offer given to the applicant and his consent obtained was voluntary. These are the questions of fact which can be determined only during trial and not at the present stage. In case of prima facie noncompliance of mandatory provision of Section 50 the accused is entitled to be released on bail within the meaning of Section 37 of N.D.P.S. Act. It is further submitted that applicant has been implicated in two other cases and he has been granted bail in both the case and bail orders are annexed as Annexure no. 2 to the affidavit filed in support of the bail application. It is also submitted that the applicant is in jail since 02.01.2023 and he undertakes that he will not misuse liberty, if granted.

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Learned A.G.A. has opposed the prayer for bail by contending that the innocence of the applicant cannot be adjudged at pre-trial stage who is involved in supplying contraband, therefore, the applicant does not deserve any indulgence. In case the applicant is released on bail he will again indulge in similar activity. The "reasonable grounds" mentioned in Section 37(1)(b)(ii) of NDPS Act mean something more than prima facie ground. It implies substantial probable causes for believing that accused is not guilty of the offence charged and points to existence of such facts and

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circumstances which are sufficient to hold that accused is not guilty.

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However the Apex Court in the Case of Union of India vs. Shiv Shankar Keshari, (2007) 7 SCC 798 has held that the court while considering the application for bail with reference to Section 37 of the Act is not called upon to record a finding of not guilty. It is for the limited purpose essentially confined to the question of releasing the accused on bail that the court is called upon to see if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not guilty and records its satisfaction about the existence of such grounds. But the court has not to consider the matter as if it is pronouncing a judgment of acquittal and recording a finding of not guilty.

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Considering the facts of the case and keeping in mind the arguments advanced on behalf of the parties, enlargement of coaccused on bail, the ratio of the Apex Court's judgment in the case of Shiv Shankar Keshari, (supra) , larger mandate of Article 21 of the constitution of India, the nature of accusations, the nature of evidence in support thereof, the severity of punishment which conviction will entail, the character of the accused-applicant, circumstances which are peculiar to the accused, reasonable possibility of securing the presence of the accused at the trial, reasonable apprehension of the witnesses being tampered with, the larger interest of the public/ State and other circumstances, but without expressing any opinion on the merits, I am of the view that it is a fit case for grant of bail.

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Let the applicant Munna Mustaq involved in Case Crime No. 01 of 2023, under Section 8/20 of N.D.P.S. Act, Police Station Saurikh, District Kannauj, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following condition:-

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(i) The applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against him under Section 229-A of the Indian Penal Code;

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(ii) In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail and in order to secure his presence proclamation under Section 82 Cr.P.C. is issued and the applicant fails to appear before the Court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against him, in accordance with law, under Section 174-A of the Indian Penal Code.

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(iii) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. If in the opinion of the trial court default of this condition is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of his bail and proceed against him in accordance with law.

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The identity, status and residential proof of sureties will be verified by court concerned and in case of breach of any of the conditions mentioned above, court concerned will be at liberty to cancel the bail and send the applicant to prison.

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Order Date :- 3.5.2023

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Bhanu

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Digitally signed by :- BHANU PRATAP KUSHWAHA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

Munna Mustaq v. State of U.P.

Case brief

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Munna Mustaq v. State of U.P.

Case brief

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