Blessing Amaka Okonko v. State Of Maharashtra

9_BA_1627_2025.docx Prasad Rajput IN IN THE THE HIGH HIGH COURT COURT OF OF JUDICATURE JUDICATURE AT AT BOMBAY BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO. 162 Blessing Amaka Okonko .. Applicant

Versus

State of Maharashtra .. Respondent ....................

 Mr. Khushal Parmar a/w Ms. Anjali More, Advocates for Applicant.  Mr. Balraj B. Kulkarni, APP for State.

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CORAM : MILIND N. JADHAV, J.

DATE : APRIL 24, 2025 P. C.

:

1.

Heard Mr. Parmar, learned Advocate for Applicant and Mr. Kulkarni, learned APP for State.

2.

Applicant is indicted and arraigned as Accused No.3 in an NDPS offence on the basis of disclosure statement of Accused No.2 recorded under Section 67 of the NDPS Act. Learned Advocate for Applicant would inform the Court that when Applicant was apprehended he was found in conscious possession of 460 grams of alleged contraband namely Mephedrone (MD).

3.

Mr. Parmar, learned Advocate for Applicant would submit that Applicant is incarcerated for the past 2 years 4 months pending trial and charge has also not been framed till date. He would therefore

9_BA_1627_2025.docx persuade the Court to consider long incarceration of the Applicant pending trial as a valid ground for seeking release on bail. 4.

Additionally, he would submit that there is prima facie transgression of Section 42 as also Section 50 of the NDPS Act which is evident from the appraisal letter appended at page No.97 and seizure panchanama appended at page No.92 of the Application. 5.

Learned APP appearing in the matter shall take appropriate instructions on the aforesaid submissions made by Mr. Parmar and accordingly apprise the Court on the next adjourned date to consider case of the Applicant for grant of bail. 6.

Stand over to 4th July, 2025.

P.R. Rajput [ MILIND N. JADHAV, J. ]