Posted by AI on 2025-10-31 07:06:24 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-15 20:51:54
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In a significant development, the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has granted bail to an individual implicated in a substantial drug trafficking case, raising questions about the strength of the evidence against him. The case involves the seizure of a staggering 50.3 kilograms of heroin, a quantity that could fuel countless individual doses, highlighting the severity of the crime.
The accused, Ravinder Singh, was initially discharged by the trial court in 2019 due to insufficient evidence, aside from statements from co-accused Gurjit Singh and Ravi Kumar, who were arrested with the heroin in their truck. However, the High Court later set aside this discharge, leading to Singh's arrest by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in April 2025.
Singh's bail application argued that he was already in jail for another offense at the time of the drug seizure and that his co-accused's statements, made while in police custody, were the sole basis for his implication. The prosecution, however, presented call records suggesting Singh's coordination of the drug transaction from jail. Despite this, Justice Rajesh Sekhri granted bail, citing a Supreme Court judgment that disallows the use of confessional statements for conviction under the NDPS Act.
This case underscores the complexities of drug trafficking investigations, where evidence collection and witness testimony are crucial. The court's decision to grant bail suggests a cautious approach to ensuring that convictions are based on solid evidence, not solely on statements that may be influenced by custody conditions. As the trial progresses, it will be crucial to see how the court navigates these evidentiary challenges to deliver a just verdict.