Pradip Pahan v. State Of West Bengal

CRM 3073 of 2021 11.06.2021 (through Video Conference) (Sl. No. 138) In re: An application for bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Ct. No. 28 Procedure filed on 03.02.2021 in connection with Balurghat Police Station Case No. 248 of 2020 dated 17.07.2020 under Sections 21(c)/22(c)/23(c)/25/27A/28/29 of the Narcotic Drgus and Psychotropic Substances Act.

(S. Banerjee/TB) And In the matter of: Pradip Pahan ...petitioner Mr. Kaushik Chowdhury ... for the petitioner Mr. Ranabir Roy Chowdhury Mr. Asok Das Mr. Mainak Gupta ... for the State Counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody for 329 days. The trial has not commenced although charge-sheet has been filed. It is submitted that the trial could not commence by reason of the fact that the majority of the co-accused are absconding.

This court, therefore, directs the learned Additional District Judge, 3rd Court at Balurghat and Special Judge NDPS Act to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of 10 months from the date of communication of a copy of this order. The Court below shall, if necessary, segregate the other absconding accused from the trial and complete the same against the petitioner.

The application for bail is, thus, dismissed. The registry is directed to communicate a copy of this order to the learned Court below.

The parties shall act in terms of the copy of the order downloaded from the official website of this court. (Rajasekhar Mantha, J.) (Biswajit Basu, J.)