The Supreme Court granted bail to a man under the NDPS Act, considering his nearly two years in custody and the trial’s uncertain timeline. Bapan Haldar’s appeal was accepted, overturning the Calcutta High Court’s bail rejection. Haldar, a defendant in a case in West Bengal, faces charges under the NDPS Act.
The police acted on credible information about contraband in a container, leading to Haldar’s arrest with 20,000 bottles of Phensedyl cough syrup. The apex court noted that co-accused had been granted bail, and Haldar’s custodial interrogation was unnecessary as charges were framed. Only one out of 39 prosecution witnesses had been examined.
Considering Haldar’s long incarceration and the trial’s delay, the court deemed it fit to grant him bail. The appellant will be released on bail with conditions set by the trial court. The Calcutta High Court had previously denied bail, citing the unchallenged seizure and potential case outcome.
