Bail application petition challenging a grant of bail. Court analyzed statutory restrictions under NDPS Act and CrPC. Held bail inapplicable for serious drug offences without meeting strict grounds. Application dismissed.
Petitioner's bail application dismissed; bail bond cancelled; petitioner directed to be taken into custody forthwith.
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.
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR
S.B. Criminal 2nd Miscellaneous Bail Application No.
5456/2023
Rakesh S/o Hanuman Ram, Aged About 25 Years, R/o Rotu, Police Station Jayal, District Nagaur (Rajasthan). (Presently Confined At District Jail, Bundi)
----Petitioner
Versus
State Of Rajasthan, Through Pp
----Respondent
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Kapil Gupta, Adv. For : Mr. Sanjeev Mahala, PP Respondent(s)
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE UMA SHANKER VYAS
Order
Reserved On : 06.07.2023 Pronounced On : 10.07.2023
2- fo}ku vf/koDrk izkFkhZ&vfHk;qDr dk fuosnu gS fd izkFkhZ&vfHk;qDr funksZ"k gS] mls izdj.k esa >waBk Qalk;k x;k gS]
(2 of 11)
[CRLMB-5456/2023]
ftl okgu ls Lokid lkexzh cjken gksuk crk;k gS] mldk vfHk;qDr iathdr Lokeh ugha gS] iathdr Lokeh dks iqfyl }kjk vfHk;qDr ds :i esa ugha tksMk x;k gS] cjkenxh ds le; mijksDr okgu esa vfHk;qDr jgk gks] bl ckcr Hkh dksbZ lkexzh i=koyh ij ugha gSA izdj.k ds lg vfHk;qDr fueZy dh bl U;k;ky; dh led{k ihB }kjk tekur Lohdkj dh tk pqdh gSA vfHk;qDr fnukad 19-06-21 vFkkZr fiNys nks o"kksZa ls vfHkj{kk esa gS rFkk ekuuh; loksZPp o jkt0 mPp U;k;ky; }kjk vfHkj{kk vof/k ds vk/kkj ij rFkk dqN ekeyksa esa ek= Ms< o"kZ dh vfHkj{kk vof/k ds vk/kkj ij vfHk;qDr dks tekur dh lqfo/kk nh x;h gS] vUr esa tekur vkosnu Lohdkj fd;s tkus dk fuosnu fd;k] vius rdksZa ds leFkZu esa fuEu U;kf;d n`"Vkar is'k fd;s gS%&
I) Biswajit Mondal Vs. The state of west Bengal in Cri.Appeal No. 450/2023 order dt. 14-02-23 by Honourable Suprime Court.
II) Dheeraj Kumar Vs. The state of Uttar Pradesh in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 6690/2022 order dt. 25-01-23 by Honourable Suprime Court.
III) Sitaram Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 6065/2022 order dt. 29-09-22 by this Court.
IV) Hari Ram Vs. UOI in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 11580/2022 order dt. 07-02-23 by Honourable Suprime Court.
(3 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
V) Manoj Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 4538/2022 order dt. 03-03-23 by this Court.
VI) Ramesh Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 17720/2022 order dt. 13-04-23 by this Court.
VII) Ramchandra Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 173/2023 order dt. 19-05-23 by this Court.
VIII) Ronak Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 5437/2023 order dt. 02-06-23 by this Court.
IX) Sukhdev Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 8665/2022 order dt. 18-0123 by Honourable Suprime Court.
3- blds foijhr fo}ku yksd vfHk;kstd dk fuosnu gS fd okf.kfT;d ek=k esa Lokid lkexzh cjken gksus dk ekeyk gS] vr% /kkjk&37 ^^vf/kfu;e&1985^^ ds izko/kkuksa o vijk/k dh xaHkhjrk vkfn dks ns[krs gq, tekur vkosnu [kkfjt fd;s tkus dk fuosnu fd;kA
4- nksuksa i{kksa ds rdksaZ ds laca/k esa vfHkys[k dk voyksdu fd;kA
5- ^^vf/kfu;e&1985^^ dh /kkjk 37 ,uMhih,l ,DV ds izko/kku fuEu izdkj gSa&
"1[37. Offences to be cognizable and non-bailable.
(4 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974)
(a) every offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable;
(b) no person accused of an offence punishable for 2[offences under section 19 or section 24 or section 27A and also for offences involving commercial quantity] shall be released on bail or on his own bond unless
(i) the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity to oppose the application for such release, and
(ii) where the Public Prosecutor opposes the application, the court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.
(2) The limitations on granting of bail specified in clause (b) of sub-section (1) are in addition to the limitations under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or any other law for the time being in force, on granting of bail.]"
6- ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk U;kf;d n"VkUr dsjyk jkT; cuke jkts'k oxS0 ¼2020½ 12 ,l-lh-lh- 122] Hkkjr la?k cuke vt; dqekj 2023 ,l-lh-lh- ¼vkWuykbZu½ ,l-lh- 346 rFkk ukjdksfVDl daVªksy C;wjks cuke eksfgr vxzoky ,-vkbZvkj- 2020 ,l-lh- 3444 ds ekeys esa ;g O;oLFkk izfrikfnr dh x;h gS fd tgka Lokid lkexzh okf.kfT;d ek=k esa cjken gqbZ gS rks /kkjk&37 **vf/kfu;e& 1985^^ ds izko/kku vkd"V gksrs gSa rFkk mlesa of.kZr nksuksa 'krksZa dh ikyuk o lek/kku gq, fcuk vfHk;qDr dks tekur dh lqfo/kk nh tkuk mfpr ugha gSA mijksDr rhuksa gh izdj.kksa esa mPp U;k;ky; }kjk nh x;h tekur dh lqfo/kk dks fujLr fd;k x;k FkkA
(5 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
7- ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; dh ogn ihB }kjk ukjdksfVDl daVªksy C;wjks cuke eksfgr vxzoky ,-vkbZ-vkj- 2020 ,l-lh- 3444 ds ekeys esa ;g Hkh vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k x;k gS fd tgka **vf/kfu;e&1985^^ dh /kkjk&37 ds izko/kku vkd"V gksrs gSa ogka vfHkj{kk dh vof/k] vkjksi i= is'k gks pqdk gS vkfn rF; lqlaxr ugha gS vfirq /kkjk&37 **vf/kfu;e&1985^^ esa of.kZr 'krksZa dk lek/kku o larqf"V gksuk vko';d gSA mijksDr ekeys esa lg vfHk;qDr }kjk nh x;h lwpuk ds vykok vfHk;qDr@ izkFkhZ ds fo:) vijk/k ls tksMus ds laca/k esa vuqla/kku ds nkSjku vU; ikfjfLFkfrtU; lk{; Hkh ladfyr dh x;h Fkh] bl fu.kZ; ds lqlaxr iSjk la- 18 o 19 fuEukuqlkj gS%&
''18. In our opinion the narrow parameters of bail available Under Section 37 of the Act, have not been satisfied in the facts of the instant case. At this stage, it is not safe to conclude that the Respondent has successfully demonstrated that there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is not guilty of the offence alleged against him, for him to have been admitted to bail. The length of the period of his custody or the fact that the chargesheet has been filed and the trial has commenced are by themselves not considerations that can be treated as persuasive grounds for granting releif to the Respondent Under Section 37 of NDPS Act.
(6 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
8- U;kf;d n`"VkUr eks0 eqfLye mQZ gqlSu cuke LVsV ¼,ulh-Vh- vkWQ nsgyh½ 2023 ,l- lh- lh- vkWuykbZu ,l- lh- 352 ds ekeys esa ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk lrsUnz dqekj vafry cuke lh-ch-vkbZ- ,-vkbZ-vkj- 2022 ,l-lh- 3386 ds ekeys dk vuqlj.k fd;k x;k gS rFkk lrsUnz dqekj vafry cuke lh-chvkbZ- ds ekeys esa ;g O;oLFkk izfrikfnr dh x;h gS fd **vf/kfu;e&1985^^ esa of.kZr vijk/k ds ekeys esa /kkjk 436, n.M izfdz;k lafgrk ds izko/kku ykxw gksrs gSa rFkk ;fn n.M ds fy, vf/kdre dkjkokl dh vof/k dh vk/kh vof/k ls vf/kd vfHk;qDr vfHkj{kk esa jg pqdk gS rks tekur ij fopkj fd;k tk ldrk gSA
9- ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk dqN fof'k"V ekeyksa esa /kkjk 37 vf/kfu;e&1985 o /kkjk 436, n.M izfdz;k lafgrk ds izko/kkuksa ds ckotwn vfHk;qDr dks tekur dh lqfo/kk nh x;h gS] ysfdu bl laca/k esa blh U;k;ky; dh [k.MihB }kjk nkSyrflag cuke jktLFkku jkT; 2015¼2½ dzkbEl 695 ¼jkt0½ esa ;g vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k x;k gS fd izdj.k fo'ks"k esa laiw.kZ U;k; djus ds fy, ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk ,slk vkns'k Hkkjrh; lafo/kku ds vuqPNsn 142¼1½ ds rgr iznRr vlk/kkj.k vf/kdkfjrk ds rgr fd;k tk ldrk gS] iajrq ,slh vf/kdkfjrk@'kfDr;ka mPp U;k;ky; ;k fopkj.k U;k;ky; dks miyC/k ugha gSA bl laca/k esa ikfjr U;kf;d n`"VkUr dk lqlaxr iSjk fuEukuqlkj gS&
"The authority of Hon'ble the Supreme Court under Article 142 of the Constitution of India is an extraordinary authority and that is not abide by the statutory provisions. The power available can very well be exercised beyond statutory limits if
[CRLMB-5456/2023]
(7 of 11)
that is required for dispensing complete justice in any case. It shall be pertinent to notice here that as per Article 141 of the Constitution of India the law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India, as such, the binding effect in the form of precedent is available to the judgments declaring law by the Apex Court. Article 142 of the Constitution of India nowhere refers judgments but decree or order. The decrees or orders passed by the Apex Court while exercising its extraordinary authority under Article 142 of the Constitution of India cannot be taken as precedent. It shall also be appropriate to mention that the Constitution of India nowhere prescribes any authority to High Courts akin to the powers available to Hon'ble the Supreme Court as per Article 142(1) of the Constitution of India. This Court, thus, is required to operate within the four corners of the statutes applicable. The resultant is that Hon'ble Supreme Court may grant release on bail or suspension of sentence without getting itself satisfied with the requirements of Section 37 of the Act of 1985, if that is necessary for doing complete justice, such an authority, however, is not available to the High Court or the trial court, as the case may be. As already stated, the order passed in the case of Mansingh (supra) is a reflection of the authority exercised under Article 142 of the Constitution of India, thus, is not having a binding effect or in other words, an authority of precedent for the High Court or the other courts subordinate. The judgments given in the case of Dadu alias Tulsidas v. State of Maharashtra (supra) and Rattan Mallik (supra) are laying down law, hence, are having binding effect and those are required to be adhered in their true spirit."
(8 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
10ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk vf/kfu;e&1985 esa of.kZr bl izdkj ds vijk/kksa dks vR;f/kd xaHkhj ekuk gS] bl izdkj ds vijk/k ls iwjs lekt ij iMus okys nq"izHkko rFkk vijk/k dh xaHkhjrk ds laca/k esa Union of India Vs. Ram Samujh and Ors. 1999(9) SCC 429 ds ekeys esa fuEu izdkj ls O;oLFkk izfrikfnr dh x;h gS%&
“7. It is to be borne in mind that the aforesaid legislative mandate is required to be adhered to and followed. It should be borne in mind that in a murder case, the accused commits murder of one or two persons, while those persons who are dealing in narcotic drugs are instrumental in causing death or in inflicting death-blow to a number of innocent young victims, who are vulnerable; it causes deleterious effects and a deadly impact on the society; they are a hazard to the society; even if they are released temporarily, in all probability, they would continue their nefarious activities of trafficking and/or dealing in intoxicants clandestinely. Reason may be large stake and illegal profit involved.........."
11fo}ku vf/koDrk vfHk;qDr }kjk ;g Hkh fuosnu fd;k x;k fd bl U;k;ky; dh lgihB }kjk dqN ekeyksa esa /kkjk&37 vf/kfu;e&1985 o /kkjk 436&, esa of.kZr 'krksZa dh ikyuk ugha gksus ds ckotwn Hkh tekur dh lqfo/kk nh x;h gSA bl laca/k esa esjk fouez er ;g gS fd tgka ,d gh fcUnq ij mPp U;k;ky; rFkk ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ds vyx vyx vfHker@vkns'k gS rks ,slh fLFkfr esa U;kf;d vuq'kklu rFkk ykW vkQ izlhMsaV ds vuqlkj ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ds fu.kZ; dk vuqlj.k fd;k tkuk vkc)dj gSA
(9 of 11)
[CRLMB-5456/2023]
12orZeku ekeys esa ;g vkjksi gS fd ?kVuk ds fnu buksok dkj uacj vkj-ts- 37&ih,&4723 dks lansg ds vk/kkj ij jksdk rks okgu esa lokj O;fDr okgu dks taxy esa ys x;s] ckn esa {kfrxzLr gksus ij okgu dks NksMdj Hkkx x;sA bl okgu dks pSd fd;k rks 06 IykfLVd ds cksjksa esa 114 fdxzk 620 xzke MksMk pwjk cjken gqvk tks okf.kfT;d ek=k vFkkZr 50 fdxzk ls nqxus ls vf/kd gSA tCr'kqnk okgu ds bZatu o psfll uacj vkfn ds vk/kkj ij iathdr Lokeh dks uksfVl fn;s tkus ij ;g izdV gqvk fd iathdr Lokeh }kjk mDr okgu orZeku vfHk;qDr@izkFkhZ jkds'k dks fodz; dj fn;k x;k Fkk rFkk ?kVuk ds le; mDr okgu jkds'k ds fu;a=.k o dCts esa FkkA fodz; vuqca/k vkfn Hkh i=koyh ij fy;k x;k gS] blds vykok ;g izdV gqvk fd cjkenxh ds le; bl okgu esa mijksDr lkexzh vfHk;qDr }kjk gh ifjogu dh tk jgh Fkh rFkk dkWy fMVsy] yksds'ku vkfn ds vk/kkj ij Hkh ;g rF; vuqla/kku ds nkSjku izdV gqvk gSA
13mijksDrkuqlkj ;g Li"V gS fd vfHk;qDr ds fo:) vuqla/kku ds nkSjku vkjksfir vijk/k ls tksMus ckcr i;kZIr lk{; ladfyr dh x;h gS rFkk bu ifjfLFkfr;ksa esa bl LVst ij vfHk;qDr funksZ"k gks] bl laca/k esa ;qfDr;qDr izFken`"V;k vk/kkj izdV ugha gksrk gS] vr% ,slh fLFkfr esa vf/kfu;e&1985 dh /kkjk 37 esa of.kZr 'krksZa dh larqf"V bl izdj.k esa ugha gks jgh gS vkSj bl dkj.k ls vfHk;qDr tekur lqfo/kk izkIr djus dk vf/kdkjh ugha gSA
14tgka rd lg vfHk;qDr fueZy dks tekur lqfo/kk led{k ihB }kjk fn;s tkus dk iz'u gS] fueZy ds fo:) ;g vkjksi Fkk fd mlus orZeku vfHk;qDr vkfn dks ;g Lokid Lkkexzh
(10 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
fodz; dj miyC/k djokbZ Fkh vkSj lg vfHk;qDr dh bRryk ds vk/kkj ij mls vkjksfir vijk/k ls tksMk x;k FkkA led{k ihB }kjk ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ds U;kf;d n`"Vkar rksQku flag cuke rfeyukMw jkT; ,-vkbZ-vkj 2020 ,l-lh- 5592 esa izfrikfnr fl)karksa dks e/;utj j[krs gq, ;g vfHker izdV fd;k fd mijksDr izdVdkjh bRryk lk{; esa xzkg; ugha gS vkSj vfHk;qDr fueZy ds fo:) vU; dksbZ lk{; ugha gksus ls mls tekur dh lqfo/kk nh x;h Fkh] mlds fo:) /kkjk 8@29 ,u Mh ih ,l ,DV dk ekeyk FkkA vr% Li"V gS fd vfHk;qDr fueZy dk ekeyk orZeku vfHk;qDr ls iw.kZr;k fHkUu gS rFkk lg vfHk;qDr fueZy dh tekur gksus ds vk/kkj ij orZeku vfHk;qDr tekur lqfo/kk izkIr djus dk vf/kdkjh ugha gSA
15orZeku ekeys esa vfHk;qDr /kkjk 8@15 ,u Mh ih ,l ,DV ds vijk/k dk vkjksi gS ftlesa vf/kdre 20 o"kZ dh ltk dk izko/kku gSA cjkenk Lokid lkexzh okf.kfT;d ek=k ls nqxus ls vf/kd gS rFkk vfHk;qDr dh vfHkj{kk vof/k ek= nks o"kZ gqbZ gS] vr% vfHk;qDr /kkjk 436, n.M izfdz;k lafgrk ds izko/kkuksa ds rgr tekur lqfo/kk izkIr djus dk vf/kdkjh ugha gS] fopkj.k ds nkSjku dqN xokgku ds c;ku gks pqds gSaA bl izdkj fopkj.k vlk/kkj.k o vuqfpr :i ls foyafcr gks jgk gks] ,slh fLFkfr ugha gSA
16bl izdj.k esa izFke tekur vkosnu xq.k&nks"kksa o lHkh lqlaxr ifjfLFkfr;ksa dks fopkj esa ysus ds mijkUr [kkfjt fd;k x;k FkkA mlds i'pkr dqN vfHk;kstu lk{khx.k ds c;ku gksuk crk;k gS rFkk ;g Hkh fuosnu fd;k gS fd mlesa vfHk;qDr uketn ugha gqvk gSA ;gka ;g mYys[kuh; gS fd ekSds ij fdlh Hkh xokg }kjk vfHk;qDr dks ugha ns[kk x;k Fkk rFkk 'kq:
(11 of 11) [CRLMB-5456/2023]
ls vfHk;kstu dgkuh ;g gS fd okgu ds dCts/kkjh@pkyd ekSds ls Hkkx x;k FkkA okgu ds fodz; vuqcU/k] dkWy&fMVsy ds vuqlkj ekSds ij mifLFkfr o vU; ifjfLFkfrtU; lk{; ds vk/kkj ij orZeku vfHk;qDr dks vuqla/kku vf/kdkjh }kjk bl ekeys esa fyIr gksuk ekuk x;k gS rFkk mu lHkh fcUnqvksa ij lk{; gksuk 'ks"k gSA vU;Fkk Hkh lk{; dk lw{e fo'ys"k.k o foospu vuqer o vuqKs; ugha gSA
17mijksDr foospukuqlkj nksuksa i{kksa dh vksj ls izLrqr rdksaZ] fof/kd izko/kku] ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ds fu.kZ;ksa esa izfrikfnr O;oLFkk] vijk/k dh xaHkhjrk] vU; ifjfLFkfr;ksa ij fopkj djus ds mijkUr] fdUrq izdj.k ds xq.kkoxq.k ij foospu fd;s fcuk izkFkhZ&vfHk;qDr dks tekur dk ykHk fn;k tkuk mfpr izrhr ugha gksrk gSA
18ifj.kker% izkFkhZ&vfHk;qDr }kjk izLrqr f}rh; tekur izkFkZuk i= [kkfjt fd;k tkrk gSA
(UMA SHANKER VYAS),J
Mittal /1
3 issues framed by the court
Whether bail can be granted under Section 37 of the NDPS Act and Section 439 CrPC when the offences are cognizable and non-bailable involving commercial quantities.
Whether the High Court can invoke extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to grant bail beyond the statutory mandates of the NDPS Act.
Whether the petitioner satisfied the strict pre-conditions for bail relief given the nature of charges and quantity involved.
Colour shows how this judgement treated each authority
Biswajit Mondal v. The State of West BengalReferred¶18
Biswajit Mondal Vs. The state of west Bengal in Cri.Appeal No. 450/2023
Dheeraj Kumar v. The State of Uttar PradeshReferred¶19
Dheeraj Kumar Vs. The state of Uttar Pradesh in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 6690/2022
Sitaram v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶20
Sitaram Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 6065/2022
Hari Ram v. UOIReferred¶21
Hari Ram Vs. UOI in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 11580/2022
Manoj v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶23
Manoj Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 4538/2022
Ramesh v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶24
Ramesh Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 17720/2022
Ramchandra v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶25
Ramchandra Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 173/2023
Ronak v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶26
Ronak Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Cri. Misc. Bail Application No. 5437/2023
Sukhdev v. The State of RajasthanReferred¶27
Sukhdev Vs. The state of Rajasthan in Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 8665/2022
Union of India v. Ram Samujh and Ors.Referred¶52
Union of India Vs. Ram Samujh and Ors. 1999(9) SCC 429 · Who else cites this
5 provisions across 3 enactments
Rakesh
State Of Rajasthan
Uma Shanker Vyas
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
