Punjab & Haryana HC grants interim bail to man accused under NDPS Act to attend wedding in his family

Read Order: Sonu v. State of Haryana

Monika Rahar

Chandigarh, January 4, 2022:  The Punjab and Haryana High Court has enlarged one NDPS accused on a day-long interim bail to enable him to attend the wedding of his brother and sister. 

The petitioner was an accused in an FIR registered under Section 21 (c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) and he was kept in custody for the same. The said marriage was scheduled for January 4, 2022, for which he filed a petition in the High Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C. read with Section 439 Cr.P.C. seeking the grant of an interim regular bail to him for two weeks.

The petitioner’s counsel emphasized the fact that the petitioner was in custody since September 2021, and prayed for his release on bail for attending the wedding. The dates of the wedding were re-checked and confirmed by the State Counsel. 

 Directing the petitioner to be taken to the marriage venue, the Bench of Justice Suvir Sehgal stated, “Keeping in view the fact that the presence of the petitioner was necessary at the time of the marriage ceremonies of his brother and sister, the petition is disposed of with a direction that the petitioner be taken to the venue of the marriage ceremonies in the morning of 04.01.2022 under proper police custody as per rules and be brought back to the jail premises in the evening on the same day.”

The Jail Superintendent was also directed to make necessary arrangements in this regard.