Baljeet Kaur Alias Balvir Kaur v. State of Punjab

1o o o 216o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o Dateoofodecision:oAugusto19,o2025oDateoofodecision:oAugusto19 2025 o BaljeetoKauro@oBalviroKauroo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo ….Respondento o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Ms.oJigyasaoKharbanda,oAdvocateoforoo o o Mr.oImpinderoSinghoDhaliwal,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oJaypreetoSingh,oDAGoPunjab.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o PresentosecondopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono483oofotheo BharatiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNSS')oforograntoofo regularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.73odatedo18.06.2023,o registeredoforotheooffencesopunishableounderoSectiono22(C)oofotheoNarcotico DrugsoandoPsychotropicoSubstancesoAct,o1985o(foroshorto'NDPSoAct'),oato PoliceoStationoSangat,oDistrictoBathinda.oo

2.o o Theogravamenoofotheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroisothatoheo isoanoaccusedoofobeingoinvolvedoinoanoFIRopertainingotooNDPSoActoinvolvingo allegedorecoveryoofo5500ointoxicantopillsoofoTramadoloHydrochlorideoIPo100o mgoSRofromoaoswiftocarobearingoNo.HR-66A-8458,oofowhich,otheopetitionero andootheroco-accusedowereotheooccupants.oo

o o 2o o o

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoarguedothatotheopetitionero iso ino custodyo sinceo 18.06.2023.o Learnedo counselo haso iteratedo thato theo petitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedo intoo theo FIRo ino question.o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso furthero submittedo thato theo mandatoryo provisionsoofotheoNDPSoActohaveonotobeenocompliedowith,oandothus,otheo prosecutiono caseo sufferso fromo inherento defects.o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerohasoiteratedothatotheotrialoisodelayedoandotheoliabilityothereofocannoto beofastenedouponotheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheo petitionerowasoseatedoonotheorearosideoofotheocaroinoquestion,ofromowhereotheo allegedocontrabandowasorecovered,oandothatotheopetitionerohadonooknowledgeo thereof.oLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothat,oinoanyocase,otheo prosecutionoevidenceoisoatotheofagoend,oandothus,otheopetitioneroisonotoinoao positionotooinfluenceotheotrial.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheo petitionerohasosufferedoincarcerationoforomoreothano02oyears.oThus,oregularo bailoisoprayedofor.oo

4.o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo presento petitiono byo arguingothatotheoallegationsoraisedoagainstotheopetitioneroareoseriousoinonatureo and,othus,oheodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularobail.oLearnedo Stateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheoinstantobailopleaoisobarredobyotheo rigorso ofo Sectiono 37o ofo theo NDPSo Act,o ando thus,o theo sameo oughto too beo dismissed.oLearnedoStateocounseloseeksotooplaceoonorecordocustodyocertificateo datedo16.08.2025oinoCourt,owhichoisotakenoonorecord.oo

o o 3o o o

5.o o Iohaveoheardocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveogoneothrougho theoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.oo

6.o o Theo petitionero waso arrestedo ono 18.06.2023o whereinaftero investigationowasocarriedooutoandochallanowasopresentedoono06.10.2023.oTotalo 15oprosecutionowitnessesohaveobeenocited,oandooutoofothem,o07ohaveobeeno examinedoando06ohaveogivenoupotillodate.oThereoisoyetoanotheroaspect,onayo vitaloaspectoofotheomatterothatotheoentireoprosecutionoevidenceoisoatotheofago endo aso onlyo 02o prosecutiono witnesseso areo statedo too haveo remainedo too beo examined.oTheorivalocontentionsoraisedoatoBarogiveoriseotoodebatableoissues,o whichoshallobeoratiocinatedouponoduringotheocourseoofotrial.oThisoCourtodoeso notodeemoitoappropriateotoodelveodeepointootheseorivalocontentions,oatothiso stage,o lesto ito mayo prejudiceo theo trial.o Nothingo tangibleo haso beeno broughto forwardo too indicateo theo likelihoodo ofo theo petitionero abscondingo fromo theo processoofojusticeoorointerferingowithotheoprosecutionoevidence.oo

6.1.o o Indubitably,o theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo attempto byo theo petitionerotoosecureoregularobail.oTheolastobailopleaopreferredobyotheopetitionero wasodismissedoasowithdrawnoono25.10.2024.oHowever,okeepingoinoviewofurthero incarcerationoofotheopetitioneroforoaoperiodoofomoreothano09omonthsoandonoo substantialoprogressoinotrial,othisoCourtoisoinclinedotoofavourablyoconsiderotheo instantopleaoforobail.oAoprofitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooao judgmento ofo thiso Courto passedo ino CRA-S-2332-2023o o titledo aso Rafiqo Khano versusoStateoofoHaryanaoandoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Aso ano epilogueo too theo aboveo discussion,o theo followingo principlesoemerge:oo

o o 4o o o Io Second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o filedo iso maintainableoinolawo&ohenceosuchopetitionooughtonototoobeorejectedo solelyoonotheogroundoofomaintainabilityothereof.o o II.oo Sucho second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedoasonotopressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutiono oroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.oo o IIIo oForo theo second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o too succeed,o theo petitioner/applicanto shallo beo essentially/pertinentlyo requiredotooshowosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoandoshowingo ofoaomereosuperficialooroostensibleochangeowouldonotosuffice.oTheo metaphorico expressiono ofo seekingo second/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughtonotobeoabstractedointooliteraloiterationsoofopetition(s)owithouto substantial,oeffectiveoandoconsequentialochangeoinocircumstances.oo o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whatowouldoconstituteosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoasoeveryo caseo haso itso owno uniqueo facts/circumstance.o Makingo sucho ano attemptoisonothingobutoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueoiso bestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourtodealingo withosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s).o o Vo oInocaseoaoCourtochoosesotoograntosecond/successiveoregularo bailopetition(s),ocogentoandolucidoreasonsoareopertinentlyorequiredotoo beo recordedo foro grantingo sucho pleao despiteo sucho ao pleao beingo second/successiveopetition(s).oInootherowords,otheocauseoforoaoCourto havingo successfullyo countenanced/entertainedo sucho second/successiveo petition(s)o oughto too beo readilyo ando clearlyo decipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed."o o

6.2.o o Atothisojuncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferotootheojudgmento passedobyothisoCourtoinoCRM-M-62189-2024ootitledoHarjinderoSinghoaliasoCRM 62189 2024 HarjinderoSinghoaliaso Rajo aliaso Rajindero Singho versuso Stateo ofo Punjab,o decidedo ono 16.07.2025o (2025:PHHC:086951),orelevantopartothereoforeadsothus:oo "Asotheoprosecutionoevidenceonearsoitsofagoend,otheoveryopremiseoforotheo continuedoincarcerationoofotheopetitioneroisosignificantlyoattenuated.oTheo apprehensiono ofo theo petitionero influencingo oro tamperingo witho theo prosecutionowitnesses,oaocommonogroundoforodenialoofobail,oisorenderedo largelyomootoinosuchocircumstances.oAsotheovenerableolegalomaximogoeso 'Cessanteo rationeo legis,o cessatipsao lex'o –o wheno theo reasono foro theo lawo'Cessanteo rationeo legis,o cessatipsao lex'o ceases,o theo lawo itselfo ceases―dulyo encapsulateso withino itso ambit,o theo factualo milieuo ofo theo instanto case.o Theo primaryo rationaleo foro pre-trialo detention,osecuringotheointegrityoofotheoprosecution'socaseoandoensuringotheo accused'so presenceo ato trial,o iso substantiallyo diminishedo wheno theo evidentiaryophaseoofotheoprosecutionoisovirtuallyocomplete.oFurthermore,oito isoaocardinaloprincipleoofocriminalojurisprudenceothatotheorightotooaofairotrialo

o o 5o o o isoparamount,oanoindispensableofacetoofowhichoisotheoaccused'soopportunityo toopresentoaorobustodefense.oAlthoughotheorightotooleadobyoanoaccusedoiso regulatedobyoseco233oCr.P.C.,ononetheless,oitoisooneoofotheomostovaluableo rights.oAocriminalotrialoisonotoaoone-sidedoaffair;oitoembodiesotheoadversarialo systemowhereobothotheoprosecutionoandotheodefenseomustobeoaffordedoano equal,oifonotogreater,oopportunityotoosubstantiateotheirorespectiveocases.oToo effectivelyo exerciseo thiso inalienableo righto too leado defenseo evidence,o theo physicalo libertyo ofo theo accusedo iso ofteno ano essentialo factor.o Ao persono confinedotoo custodyo facesoconsiderableoimpedimentsoinoconsultingowitho legalocounsel,ogatheringodefenseowitnesses,oandopreparingotheirostrategy.o Denialoofolibertyoatothisoadvancedostage,owhenotheoprosecution'soevidentiaryo edificeo iso almosto complete,o cano severelyo crippleo theo defense,o therebyo strikingoatotheoveryorootoofoaofairotrial.oAudioalteramopartemo–ohearotheoothero sideo–oisoaofundamentalodictateoofonaturalojustice,oandodenyingobailowheno there'so noo palpableo risko ofo witnesso tamperingo wouldo beo too rendero thiso maximonugatory.Atothisojuncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooao judgmento passedo byo theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino 'GudikantiNarasimhuluoandoothersoversusoPublicoProsecutor,oHighoCourto ofoAndhraoPradesh',o1978oAIRo(SC)o429,orelevantopartothereoforeadsoasoo "11.oWeomustoweightotheocontraryofactorsotooanswerotheotestotheo reasonableness,osubjectotootheoneedoforosecuringotheopresenceoofotheo bailoapplicant.oItomakesosenseotooassumeothatoaomanoonobailohasoao betterochanceotooprepareoofopresentohisocaseothanooneoremandedoino custody.o Ando ifo publico justiceo iso too beo promoted,o mechanicalo detentionoshouldobeodemoted."oo o

6.3.o o Theotrialoisoindeedoprocrastinatingoandofollyothereofocannotobeo saddledouponotheopetitioner.oAsoperocustodyocertificateodatedo16.08.2025ofiledo byotheolearnedoStateocounsel,otheopetitionerohasoalreadyosufferedoincarcerationo foro ao periodo ofo 02o years,o 01o montho ando 27o days,o &o iso noto showno toobeo involvedoinoanyootherocase/FIR.oInothisoviewoofotheomatter,otheorigoroimposedo underoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoActostandsodilutedoinolightoofotheoArticleo21oofo theoConstitutionoofoIndia.oo

6.4.o o ThisoCourtoinoaojudgmentotitledoasoKulwinderoversusoStateoofo PunjabopassedoinoCRM-M-64074-2024o(2025:PHHC:002695);oafterorelyingo uponotheoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoino HussainaraoKhatoonovs.oHomeoSecy.,oStateoofoBiharo(1980)o1oSCCo81;oAbdulo Rehmano Antulayo vso R.S.o Nayako (1992)o 1o SCCo 225;o Javedo Gulamo Nabio

o o 6o o o Shaikhovs.oStateoofoMaharashtraoandoanother,o2024(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o494;o MohdoMuslimo@oHussainovs.oStateo(NCToofoDelhi)oreportedoaso2023oINSCo 311;o Criminalo Appealo No.245/2020o datedo 07.02.2020o titledo aso "Chittao BiswasoAliasoSubhasovs.oTheoStateoofoWestoBengal";o"NitishoAdhikaryo@o Bapano vs.o Theo Stateo ofo Westo Bengal",o Specialo Leaveo too Appealo (Crl.)o No.5530-2022odatedo22.08.2022otitledoaso"MohammadoSalmanoHanifoShaikho vs.o Theo Stateo ofo Gujarat";o Criminalo Appealo No.1169o ofo 2022o datedo

05.08.2022otitledoasoGopaloKrishnaoPatrao@oGopalrusmaovs.oUnionoofoIndia,o ando Ankuro Chaudharyo vs.o Stateo ofo Madhyao Pradesh,o 2024(4)o RCRo (Criminal)o172;ohasoheld,othus:oo "7.8.o o Theorightotooaospeedyoandoexpeditiousotrialoisonotoonlyoao vitalosafeguardotoopreventoundueoandooppressiveoincarceration;otoomitigateo anxietyoandoconcernoaccompanyingotheoaccusationoasowelloasotoocurtailoanyo impairmentoinotheoabilityoofoanoaccusedotoodefendohimself,obutothereoisoano overarchingosocietalointerestopavingowayoforoaospeedyotrial.oThisorightohaso beenorepeatedlyoactuatedoinotheorecentopastoandotheoratioodecidendioofotheo above-referredotooSupremeoCourt'sojudgmentsohaveolaidodownoaoseriesoofo decisionsoopeningouponewovistasoofofundamentalorights.ooTheoconceptoofo speedyotrialoisoamalgamatedointootheoArticleo21oasoanoessentialopartoofotheo fundamentalorightotoolifeoandoliberty,oguaranteedoandopreservedounderoouro Constitution.ooTheorightotoospeedyotrialobeginsowithotheoactualorestrainto imposedo ato theo timeo ofo theo arresto ofo theo accusedo ando consequento incarcerationo whicho continueso ato allo stages,o namely,o theo stageo ofo investigation,o inquiry,o trial,o appealo ando revisiono soo thato anyo possibleo prejudiceothatomayoresultodueotooimpermissibleoandoavoidableodelayosinceo theotimeoofotheocommissionoofotheooffenceotillotheocriminaloproceedingso consummateo intoo ao finality,o couldo beo averted.o o Theo speedyo trial,o earlyo hearingoandoquickodisposaloareosineoquaononoofocriminalojurisprudence.oTheo overcrowdedoCourt-dockets,otheoheavyovolumeoofoworkoandotheoresultanto pressureoonotheoprosecutionoandotheoPolice,oindubitablyokeepsotheoentireo criminalojurisprudentialomechanismounderostressoandostrain.ooHowever,othiso cannotobeoanoexcuseoforokeepingotheoswordoofoDamoclesohangingoonotheo accusedoforoanoindefiniteoperiodoofotime.ooItodoesonotoserveoanyocreditotootheo criminalo justiceo system,o rathero ito makeso foro ao sado stateo ofo affairs.o Theo guaranteeoofoaospeedyotrialoisointendedotooavoidooppressionoandoprevento delayo byo imposingo ono theo Courto ando theo prosecutiono ano obligationo too proceedowithotheotrialowithoaoreasonableodispatch.ooTheoguaranteeoservesoao threefoldopurpose.oFirstly,oitoprotectsotheoaccusedoagainstooppressiveopre-trialoimprisonment;osecondly,oitorelievesotheoaccusedoofotheoanxietyoando publicosuspicionodueotoounresolvedocriminalochargesoandolastly,oitoprotectso

o o 7o o o againstotheoriskothatoevidenceowillobeolostooromemoriesodimmedobyotheo passageo ofo time,o thus,o impairingo theo abilityo ofo theo accusedo too defendo himself.oItogoesowithoutosayingothatotheoconsequencesoofopre-trialodetentiono areo grave.o Accused,o presumedo innocent,o tillo proveno otherwise,o areo subjectedotoopsychologicaloandophysicalodeprivationsoofojail-life,ousuallyo underoonerousoconditions.oEquallyoimportant,otheoburdenoofodetentionoofo suchoanoaccusedofrequentlyofallsoheavilyoonotheoinnocentomembersoofohiso family.ooo o o o Thereoisoyetoanotheroaspectoofotheomatterowhichodeserveso considerationoatothisostage.oTheoallegationsoinotheopresentocaseorelateotoo accusedo beingo involvedo ino ano FIRo relatingo too commercialo quantityo ofo contrabandounderotheoNDPSoAct,o1985.ooWhileoconsideringoaobailopetitiono inoaocaseoinvolvingocommercialoquantity,otheoCourtohasotookeepoinomindotheo rigoursoenumeratedounderoSectiono37oofoNDPSoAct,o1985owhichomandateso thato Courtso cano granto bailo too ano accusedo onlyo aftero hearingo theo publico prosecutoroandoafterohavingosatisfiedoitselfoofotwinoconditionsowhichoareo reasonableo groundso foro believingo thato theo accusedo iso noto guiltyo ofo theo offenceocharged/allegedoandothat,oheoisonotolikelyotoocommitoanyooffenceo whileoonobail.ooTheostringentorigoursoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985o musto beo meticulouslyo scrutinizedo againsto theo backdropo ofo accused'so fundamentalorightotooaospeedyotrial.ooTheorightotoolifeoandopersonalolibertyo cannotobeorenderedonugatoryobyounwarrantedodelaysoinotheojudicialoprocess,o particularlyowhereosuchodelay(s)oisoneitheroattributableotootheoaccusedonoro justifiedoatotheoendoofotheoprosecutionobyocogentoreasons.oAnoindividualo cannotobeokeptobehindo barsoforoanoinordinateoperiodoofotimeobyotakingo refugeoinorigoursolaidodownoinoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985.ooTheo legislatureoinoitsowisdom,oinoorderotooensureospeedyoandotimelyodisposaloofo theocasesounderotheoAct,ohasoprovidedoforotheoconstitutionoofospecialoCourtso underoSectiono36-AoofotheoAct.ooHowever,othisoCourtocannototurnoNelson'so eyeotootheoprotractedodelaysoandosystematicoinefficiencyothatofrustrateothiso legislativeopurpose.ooAoCourtoofolawoisoduty-boundotooensureothatoitodoeso notobecomeocomplicitoinoviolationoofoanoindividual'sofundamentalorights,o notwithstandingoanythingocontainedoinoaostatute.ooWhileodealingowithobailo petitionoinoaocaseogovernedobyotheorigoursoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,o 1985,otheoCourtomustostrikeoaojudiciousobalanceobetweenotheolegislativeo intentotoocurbotheomenaceoofodrugsoandotheosacrosanctorightoofotheoaccusedo tooaofairoandoexpeditiousotrial.ooProlongedoincarceration,owithoutojustifiableo cause,orisksotransformingopre-trialodetentionointoopunitiveoimprisonment,o anooutcomeoantitheticalotootheoprincipleoofojusticeoandoequity.oo o o o Ergo,otheounequivocaloinferenceoisothatowhereotheotrialohaso failedo too concludeo withino ao reasonableo time,o resultingo ino prolongedo incarceration,oitomilitatesoagainstotheopreciousofundamentalorightsoofolifeo ando libertyo grantedo undero theo lawo and,o aso such,o conditionalo libertyo overridingotheostatutoryoembargoocreatedounderoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSo Act,o1985ooughtotoobeoconsideredoasoperofactsoofoaogivenocase.ooInoothero words,ograntoofobailoinoaocaseopertainingotoocommercialoquantity,oonotheo groundoofoundueodelayoinotrial,ocannotobeosaidotoobeofetteredobyoSectiono37o ofotheoNDPSoAct,o1985."o o

o o 8o o o o o Sufficeo too say,o furthero detentiono ofo theo petitionero aso ano undertrialoisonotowarrantedoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.ooo

7.o o Inoviewoofoabove,otheopresentopetitionoisoallowed.oPetitioneroiso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobailoonohisofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotoo theosatisfactionoofotheoLd.oconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrate.oHowever,o ino additiono too conditionso thato mayo beo imposedo byo theo concernedo trialo Court/DutyoMagistrate,otheopetitioneroshalloremainoboundobyotheofollowingo conditions:oo

(i)o Theopetitioneroshallonotomis-useotheolibertyogranted.oo

(ii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonototamperowithoanyoevidence,ooralooro documentary,oduringotheotrial.oo

(iii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotoabsentohimselfoonoanyodateobeforeo theotrial.oo

(iv)oo Theo petitionero shallo noto commito anyo offenceo whileo ono bail.oo

(v)oo Theopetitioneroshallodepositohisopassport,oifoany,owithotheo trialoCourt.oo

(vi)o Theo petitionero shallo giveo hiso cellphoneo numbero too theo Investigatingo Officer/SHOo ofo concernedo Policeo Stationo andoshallonotochangeohisocell-phoneonumberowithoutoprioro permissionoofotheotrialoCourt/IllaqaoMagistrate.oo

(vii)o Theopetitioneroshallonotoinoanyomannerotryotoodelayotheo trial.oo

(viii)o Theopetitioneroshallosubmit,oonotheofirstoworkingodayoofo everyo month,o ano affidavit,o beforeo theo concernedo trialo Court,o too theo effecto thato heo haso noto beeno involvedo ino commissionoofoanyooffenceoafterobeingoreleasedoonobail.o Ino caseo theo petitionero iso foundo too beo involvedo ino anyo offenceo afterohisobeingo enlargedo ono bailoinotheo presento FIR,oonotheobasisoofohisoaffidavitoorootherwise,otheoStateoiso mandatedotoomove,oforthwith,oforocancellationoofohisobailo whicho plea,o buto ofo course,o shallo beo ratiocinatedo upono meritsothereof.oo o

8.o o Inocaseoofobreachoofoanyoofotheoaforesaidoconditionsoandothoseo whichomayobeoimposedobyoconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrateoasodirectedo

o o 9o o o hereinaboveo oro upono showingo anyo othero sufficiento cause,o theo State/complainanto shallo beo ato libertyo too moveo cancellationo ofo bailo ofo theo petitioner.oo

9.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

11.oo o Sinceotheomainocaseohasobeenodecided,opendingomiscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o ooo o oooooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o o o o o oooooJUDGEo Augusto19,o2025oo mahavirooo o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

o o