The High Court of Delhi, in an oral judgment, allowed a bail application filed under the NDPS Act. The court granted bail relying on parity with a co-accused previously granted bail, noting insufficient evidence of guilt against the petitioner.
Released on bail on personal bond of Rs. 50,000 with one surety and custody handed over to FRRO.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
$~77
DESALEGN ATNAFU ABEBE .....Petitioner
Through: Ms. Arshiya Ghose, Advocate. versus
NARCOTICS CONTROL BUREAU .....Respondent Through: Mr. Arun Khatri, SSC with Ms. Shelly Dixit, Advocate.
CORAM: JUSTICE GIRISH KATHPALIA
J U D G M E N T (ORAL)
1.1 This bail application came up for the first hearing on 20.11.2025 before the predecessor bench and thereafter continued getting adjourned before different benches. Along with 179 such old pending bail applications, this application also was transferred to this bench.
BAIL APPLN. 4445/2025
Page 1 of 4 pages
GIRISH KATHPALIA Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cbd2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.04.01 17:36:49 -07'00'
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed By:RAHUL YADAV Signing Da te:0 1.04.2026 17:59:56
BAIL APPLN. 4445/2025
Page 2 of 4 pages
GIRISH KATHPALIA Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cbd2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.04.01 17:36:40 -07'00'
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed By:RAHUL YADAV Signing Da te:0 1.04.2026 17:59:56
BAIL APPLN. 4445/2025
Page 3 of 4 pages
GIRISH KATHPALIA Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cbd2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.04.01 17:36:30 -07'00'
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed By:RAHUL YADAV Signing Da te:0 1.04.2026 17:59:56
upon acceptance of bail bond, custody of the accused/applicant shall be handed over by the concerned Jail Superintendent to the FRRO. A copy of this order be immediately transmitted to the concerned Jail Superintendent for informing the accused/applicant. Pending application also stands disposed of.
Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA
DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,
2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec455
GIRISH 69af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH
COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638,
postalCode=110003, st=Delhi,
serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570
KATHPALIA 996b40f80cbd2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA
Date: 2026.04.01 17:36:10 -07'00'
GIRISH KATHPALIA
(JUDGE)
APRIL 1, 2026/ dr
BAIL APPLN. 4445/2025
Page 4 of 4 pages
Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:RAHUL YADAV Signing Da te:0 1.04.2026 17:59:56
2 issues framed by the court
Whether bail should be granted to the accused based on parity with a co-accused who was granted bail.
Whether the presence of recovered drug money and WhatsApp chats alters the case against the present accused sufficiently to deny bail.
Colour shows how this judgement treated each authority
Application involving Yesak AngsomRelied on¶18
Bail Application No. 1100/2025
1 provisions across 1 enactments
Desalegn Atnafu Abebe
Narcotics Control Bureau
Girish Kathpalia
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
