Somen Mandal v. State Of West Bengal

43.

21.03.2025 Court No.29 (Pritam) (Rejected)

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS JURISDICTION CRM (NDPS) 277 of 2025 In Re: - An application for bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 / Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, arising out of Kaliachak Police Station Case No.1439/2021 dated 27.12.2021 under Section 21(C)/29 of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 & Section 27A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

And In the matter of: - Somen Mandal.

...petitioner.

Mr. Amitabha Karmakar, Mr. Arup Kumar Bhowmick ...for the petitioner.

Ms. Anasuya Sinha, Ld. A.P.P., Mr. Asif Dewan ...for the State.

Dictated by Arijit Banerjee, J.

1. Today, learned State advocate shows us the depositions of witnesses examined before the learned trial court. There is extremely strong incriminating evidence against this petitioner. If convicted, the petitioner will have to undergo imprisonment for at least 10 years, which may extend to 20 years. In view of such strong evidence against the petitioner, in spite of his long detention in custody, we are not inclined to allow the petitioner's prayer for bail, at this stage.

2. The prayer for bail is, thus, rejected.

3. CRM (NDPS) 277 of 2025 is disposed of.

4. However, considering the period of detention of the petitioner, we direct the learned trial court to expedite the trial to the fullest extent and conclude the same as early possible, without granting unnecessary adjournments to either of the parties and if necessary by fixing frequent schedules of two to three days each for examination of witnesses. We also clarify that all the observations made in this order are only for the purpose of disposing of this bail application and shall not have any bearing on the trail.

5. All parties shall act on the server copies of this order duly downloaded from the official website of this Court.

6. Criminal Section is directed to supply certified copies of this order to the parties, if applied for, upon compliance of all necessary formalities.

(Arijit Banerjee, J.) (Apurba Sinha Ray, J.)