Vikash Kumar Singh @ Bikash Singh v. Union Of India

20.09.2023 sdas rejected C.R.M.(NDPS) No. 1560 of 2023 In Re:- An application for bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in connection with Howrah GRPS Case No. 70 of 2020 dated 05.02.2020 under Sections 20(b)(ii)(c )/29/35 of the NDPS Act.

And In Re : Vikash Kumar Singh @ Bikash Singh .... petitioner Mr. Santanu Talukdar Mr. Soham Banerjee ....for the petitioner Mr. Rajdeep Majumder Mr. Sagar Saha ...... for the NCB

1. Lerned Counsel for the petitioner submits he is in custody for more than three years. It is also submitted that there is slow progress in trial. He renews his bail prayer.

2. Learned Counsel for the NCB opposes the bail prayer and submits bail prayer of the petitioner was rejected earlier on merits in August, 2022. On the score of delay co-accused Purnima Devi had approached this Court unsuccessfully in May, 2023. By the order direction had been given to the trial court to conclude the trial within a year.

3. We have considered the materials on record. Bail prayer of the petitioner had been rejected earlier on merits. Coaccused, Purnima Devi had prayed for bail on the ground of delay is trial. But her prayer was turned down vide order dated

12.05.2023 in CRM (NDPS) 962 of 2023. By the said order trial court was directed to conclude the trial at an early date preferably within one year from the next date fixed for recording evidence. Said time schedule has not expired. Hence, we are not inclined to consider the prayer for bail of the petitioner on the ground of delay.

4. The application for bail is, thus, rejected. (Ajay Kumar Gupta, J.) (Joymalya Bagchi, J.)