Janak Raj v. State of HP

2025:HHC:46169 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA. Cr.MP(M) No. 2965 of 2025 Reserved on : 29.12.2025 Decided on : 31.12.2025 Janak Raj

…Applicant Versus State of Himachal Pradesh …Respondent Coram The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting? For the applicant      :  Mr. Nand Lal Thakur, Mr. Udayanand Sharma   and   Mr.   Kiran   Kumar Advocates. For the respondent   : Mr.   Mohinder   Zharaick,   Additional A.G. with Ms. Avni Kochhar, Deputy A.G.,   assisted   by   ASI   Mohinder Singh, Police Station Indora, District Kangra, H.P. Virender Singh, Judge Applicant­Janak   Raj   has   filed   the   present application  under   Section   483   of   the   Bharatiya   Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter referred to as 'BNSS'), 2 2025:HHC:46169 for releasing him, on bail, during the pendency of the trial, arising   out   of  FIR   No.   142/2025,   dated   31.08.2025, under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act (hereinafter referred to as the 'ND&PS Act'), registered   with  Police   Station   Indora,   Police   District Nurpur, District Kangra, H.P.

¶2According to the applicant, he is innocent person and has falsely been implicated, by the police, in the present case.

¶3According to the applicant, he has no concern, whatsoever,   with   the   recovery   of   the   alleged   contraband. The investigation of the present case is stated to be complete and   applicant   has   further   pleaded   that   he   is   no   longer required for custodial interrogation by the police, in this case.

¶4According   to   the   applicant,   apart   from   the present case, ten other cases have been registered against him, out of which, seven cases are of ND&PS Act, one is under Excise Act and two are under IPC.  In four cases, he 3 2025:HHC:46169 had been acquitted and one case has been compromised. According   to   the   applicant,   five   cases   are   still   pending against him.

¶5According   to   the   applicant,   the   contraband allegedly   recovered,   does   not  fall   within   the   definition   of commercial quantity, as such, rigors of Section 37 of the ND&PS Act are not applicable, in the present case.

¶6The   applicant   has   earlier   tried   his   luck   by moving   application   before   the   Court   of   learned   Special Judge,   Nurpur,   District   Kangra,   H.P.,   however,   said application has been dismissed on 09.12.2025.

¶7On the basis of the grounds as taken in the bail application,   learned   Counsel   appearing   for   the   applicant, has given certain undertakings, on behalf of the applicant, for   which,   the   applicant   is   ready   to   abide   by,   in   case, ordered to be released on bail, during the pendency of the trial.

¶8On the basis of the above facts, a prayer has been made to allow the bail application.

¶9When,   put   to   notice,   the   police   has   filed   the 4 2025:HHC:46169 status report, disclosing therein, that on 31.08.2025, SDPO Indora,   has   given   authorization   under   Section   41(2)   of ND&PS Act, for the search of the house/premises of Janak Raj son of Sh. Chaman Lal (applicant).  In order to comply with the said order, ASI Mohinder Singh, along with other police officials and requisite instruments, proceeded towards village Tamota, in private vehicle bearing No. HP81­0937. When, they reached at Main Road of village Tamota, then, Ward   Member   Smt.   Sumita   Sharma   along   with   Ward Member Surender Kumar, met them.   Both of them were apprised about the authorization letter.

9.1 Thereafter, both of them were associated and the police   team   proceeded   towards   the   house   of   Janak   Raj (applicant).  At about 6:10 pm, when, they reached near the house of Janak Raj (applicant), from the gate of the house, ASI called the inhabitant, upon which, one person came out, who on enquiry disclosed his name as Janak Raj son of Sh. Chaman   Lal,   resident   of   Village   Tamota,   Tehsil   Indora, District Kangra, H.P. (applicant).

9.2 Thereafter, on further enquiry, he disclosed that 5 2025:HHC:46169 he   is   all   alone   in   his   house.     Thereafter,   the   I.O.   had apprised the applicant about the authorization letter.   The house of Janak Raj (applicant) was searched, after giving the personal search of the police party to the applicant.  During search   of   the   house,   underneath   the   mattress   over   the double bed, currency notes of Rs. 10,500/­ were found.  In the   next   room,   under   mattress,   a   transparent   Zip   pack envelope was found, which on checking was found to be containing   brown   coloured   substance.     On   checking   the substance on drug detection kit, the same was found to be heroin/chitta.     On   weighment,   the   recovered   chitta   was found to be 7.6 grams.

9.3 Other   codal   formalities   were   completed. Contraband was taken into possession.   As per the status report, following cases have been found registered against him:­

¶1FIR No. 160/2020, dated 19.09.2020, under Section 21 of ND&PS Act of Police Station Indora;

¶2FIR No. 91/2021, dated 03.06.2021, under Section 21 of ND&PS Act of Police Station Indora;

¶3FIR No. 36/2023, dated 06.03.2023, under Section 21 of ND&PS Act, of Police Station Indora;

¶4FIR No. 65/2024, dated 05.05.2024, under Section 26 of ND&PS Act, of Police Station Indora; and 6 2025:HHC:46169

¶5FIR No. 162/2024, dated 22.10.2024, under Section 21 of ND&PS Act of Police Station Indora.

9.4 The  contraband  was  sent  to  FSL  Junga,   from where, positive report has been received.  The investigation is   complete   and   the   charge­sheet   has   been   filed   on

17.10.2025, before the Court of learned ASJ­1 Nurpur, for prosecution evidence.

9.5 On the basis of above facts and highlighting the criminal history of the applicant, a prayer for dismissal of the application has been made.

¶10First of all, so far as the registration of five other cases   against   the   applicant,   is   concerned,   admittedly,   in none of the cases, the applicant has been convicted by the competent Court of Law.  Moreover, the police has not made any effort to get the bail cancelled, in the above noted cases. Even otherwise, registration of the cases, is too short, to take away the presumption of innocence from the applicant, as the applicant is presumed to be innocent, unless proven guilty.

¶11The   investigation,   in   the   present   case,   is 7 2025:HHC:46169 complete and case is now listed for PWs in the month of March,   2026,   as   such   custodial   interrogation   of   the applicant is no longer required.  From the said fact, it can be said   that   chances   of   conclusion   of   the   trial,   against   the applicant, in near future, are not so bright.

¶12Moreover, dismissal of the bail application is pre­ trial punishment, which is prohibited under the law.   As such, the applicant cannot be kept in the judicial custody, that too, for indefinite period.

¶13The contraband, allegedly recovered, in this case, does not fall within the category of commercial quantity, as such, rigors of Section 37 of ND&PS Act, are not applicable, in the present case.

¶14Moreover, the applicant is permanent resident of District Kangra, as such, it cannot be apprehended that in case, he is ordered to be released on bail, he may not be available for the trial.

¶15Considering all these facts, this Court is of the view that the bail application is liable to be allowed and is accordingly allowed. 8 2025:HHC:46169

¶16Consequently,   the   applicant   is   ordered   to   be released,   on   bail,   in   case  FIR   No.   142/2025,   dated

31.08.2025,  registered  under Section 21 of the ND&PS Act, with Police Station Indora, Police District Nurpur, District Kangra, H.P.,  on his furnishing personal bonds in the sum of Rs. 1,00,000/­, with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court.

¶17This   order,   however,   shall   be   subject   to   the following conditions:­ "a) The applicant shall regularly attend the trial Court on each and every date of hearing and if prevented by any reason to do so, seek exemption from   appearance   by   filing   the   appropriate application; b)   The   applicant   shall   not   tamper   with   the prosecution evidence nor hamper the investigation of the case in any  manner whatsoever; c) The applicant shall not make any inducement, threat or promises to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing   such   facts   to   the   Court   or   the   Police Officer, and d)   The   applicant   shall   not   leave   the   territory   of India without the prior permission of the Court."

¶18Any of the observations, made hereinabove, shall not be taken as an expression of opinion, on the merits of the case, as these observations, are confined, only, to the 9 2025:HHC:46169 disposal of the present bail application.

¶19It is made clear that the respondent­State is at liberty to move an appropriate application, in case, any of the bail conditions, is found to be violated by the applicant.

¶20The Registry is directed to forward a soft copy of the bail order to the Superintendent of Jail, District Jail Una, H.P. through e­mail, with a direction to enter the date of grant of bail in the e­prison software.

¶21In case, the applicant is not released within a period  of  seven  days  from  the  date  of  grant  of  bail,  the Superintendent of Jail, District Jail Una, H.P., is directed to inform   this   fact   to   the   Secretary,   DLSA,   Kangra.   The Superintendent   of   Jail,   District   Jail   Una,   H.P.   is   further directed that if the applicant fails to furnish the bail bonds, as per the order passed by this Court, within a period of one month from today, then, the said fact be submitted to this Court. (Virender Singh) Judge 31st December, 2025 (Pramod Kumar) RAJNI by RAJNI Date: 2025.12.31 11:55:45 +0530