Case brief
What is this about?
CRM-M-10723-2026 (O&M), Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh, Justice Subhas Mehla (oral), decided 08.04.2026. Regular bail allowed for Jameel @ Jamil Ahmed in FIR No.56 dated 25.01.2023 under Sections 20B(ii) NDPS Act 1985, PS Hodal, Palwal; 561.750 kg ganja seized from truck HR74B0549 after naka under Section 42 NDPS Act. Grounds: implication only via co-accused's police-custody disclosure statement, inadmissible per Tofan Singh (2020 INSC 620); no recovery from petitioner; registered owner silent; custody ~9 months 4 days; challan presented, charges not framed, 41 witnesses, protracted trial; bail-is-rule principle; analogy to Jugraj Singh v. State of Punjab (SLP (Crl.) No.9190 of 2025, decided 20.08.2025). Release on requisite bonds; no opinion expressed on merits.
What did the court decide?
Petitioner ordered to be released on regular bail upon furnishing requisite bonds to the satisfaction of the trial Court/Duty Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate concerned, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.