Satnam Singh Alias Satta v. State Of Punjab

CRM-M-49726-2025 (O&M) 1

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M-49726-2025 (O&M) Date of decision: 23.09.2025 Satnam Singh Alias Satta ....Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab

...Respondent

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMAN CHAUDHARY ***** Present :

Mr. Tushar Sharma, Advocate for the petitioner 

 

 ***** AMAN CHAUDHARY, J. (ORAL) 1.

Prayer in the present petition filed under Section 483 BNSS is for grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.37 dated 28.02.2025, registered under Sections 18/29/27-A of NDPS Act, at Police Station B Division, District Amritsar.

2.

Learned counsel contends that the petitioner has been in custody for about 7 months. He alleges false implication. He was neither named in the FIR nor in the secret information. It is a case of chance recovery from his house. The contraband allegedly recovered from him is non-commercial in nature, it being 1 kg and 29 grams of Opium. No independent witness was joined at the time of the alleged recovery. Co-accused Amandeep Singh, from whom 1 kg of Opium has been recovered and apprehended at the spot, has been granted regular bail by the trial Court vide order dated 03.06.2025, Annexure P-4. The amount of Rs.4,70,000/- allegedly recovered from the house of the petitioner as drug money, was on account of a plot that has been sold by his wife to one Maninder Singh, for

CRM-M-49726-2025 (O&M) 2 which sale deed had also been executed. Challan stands presented on 22.08.2025, however, the charges have not been framed. In all there are 21 prosecution witnesses. The petitioner is involved in 1 more case under the NDPS Act, wherein he is on bail. Reliance is placed on the judgment passed by Hon'ble The Supreme Court titled as Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi vs. State of U.P. and others, 2012(2) SCC 382.

3.

The custody certificate dated 22.09.2025, filed by the learned State counsel is taken on record. As per the same, the petitioner is behind bars for 6 months and 14 days.

4.

Learned State counsel opposes the bail on the ground that the contraband was recovered from the petitioner as also the co-accused. However, he is unable to controvert the submissions with regard to stage of the case, coaccused having been granted bail, the recovery being non-commercial and the petitioner being on bail in other case.

5.

Heard.

6.

Hon'ble The Supreme Court in the case of Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi (Supra)had held that, "As observed by the High Court, merely on the basis of criminal antecedents, the claim of the second respondent cannot be rejected. In other words, it is the duty of the Court to find out the role of the accused in the case in which he has been charged and other circumstances such as possibility of fleeing away from the jurisdiction of the Court, etc." 7.

Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, in particular that the petitioner is in custody for the last 6 months and 14 days; on bail in other case; co-accused has been enlarged on bail; challan was presented on 22.08.2025, however, the charges have yet not been framed and there are 21 prosecution

CRM-M-49726-2025 (O&M) 3 witnesses in total, the trial is likely to take a considerable time, further incarceration of the petitioner would be violative of his right enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the present petition is allowed. 8.

The petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail, subject to furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of trial Court/Duty Magistrate concerned, if not required in any other case and shall abide by the following conditions:- (i) The petitioner will not tamper with the evidence during the trial.

(ii) The petitioner will not pressurize/ intimidate the prosecution witnesses.

(iii) The petitioner will appear before the trial Court on each and every date fixed, unless is exempted by a specific order of Court.

(iv) The petitioner shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which, he is an accused, or for commission of which he is suspected of.

(v) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly coerce, induce, threaten or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/ her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer or tamper with the evidence in any manner.

(vi) The petitioner shall not in any manner misuse his liberty. (vii) The petitioner shall furnish his address and mobile number by way of an affidavit to the trial Court and not change the same till conclusion of trial and if for any reasons, he seeks to change either of the aforesaid, it shall be done only with prior information to the learned trial Court.

(viii) The petitioner shall not leave the country without prior permission of the trial Court.

(ix) The trial Court/Duty Magistrate may impose any other condition, as deemed appropriate while releasing the petitioner.

9.

It is made abundantly clear that in case there is any breach of the aforesaid conditions, the State shall be at liberty to seek cancellation of bail as granted to the petitioner by this order.

CRM-M-49726-2025 (O&M) 4 10.

In view of the above, it is clarified that the observations made herein above are limited for the purpose of present proceedings and would not be construed as any opinion on the merits of the case and the trial would proceed independently of the aforesaid observations.

(AMAN CHAUDHARY) JUDGE 23.09.2025 M.Kamra Whether speaking/reasoned :

Yes / No Whether reportable :

Yes / No