Ramanpreet Kaur v. State of Punjab

1o o o 117+242o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHoCHANDIGARH o CRM-M-16935-2026oCRM 16935 2026 o RamanpreetoKauroo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo ….Respondento o DateoofoDecision:oAprilo23,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oAprilo23,o2026o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oMontyoGoyal,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oBaljinderoSinghoSra,oAdditionaloAGoPunjab.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)ooSUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL) o o o PresentopetitionoisotheothirdoattemptofiledounderoSectiono483oofo theoBharatiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNSS')oforogranto ofo regularo bailo too theo petitioner,o ino caseo bearingo FIRo No.176o datedo

03.07.2025,oregisteredoforotheooffencesopunishableounderoSectionso21,o29oando 27-Aoofo theo Narcotico Drugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Act,o 1985o (foro shorto'NDPSoAct')oandoSectiono25oofotheoArmsoAct,o1959,oatoPoliceoStationo AntioNarcoticsoForce,oSASoNagar,oMohali,oPoliceoDistrictoA.N.T.F.oWing,o Punjab.oo

2.o o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatoasoperotheocaseoofo theoprosecution,oono03.07.2025,oaorecoveryoofo1.40okilogramsoofoheroinoalongo withoanoelectronicoweighingoscaleowasoeffectedofromotheofirstoroomoofotheo

o o 2o o residentialohouseoofoco-accusedo–oAyushoMishraoaliasoBrahminoandoMehako aliasoSeerat.o Fromo theosecondoroomo ofo theosameo premises,otwoo pistols― NORINCOoPX3,oCalibero7.62?25omm,omadeoinoChinaobearingoNo.50079,o andoanotheroPX3opistoloofotheosameocaliberobearingoNo.J5008101―alongo witho17oliveocartridgesowereoalsoorecovered.oAdditionally,oanoi20ocarobearingo registrationoNo.PB-10JZ-5097owasoseized.oSubsequently,oinopursuanceoofotheo disclosureostatementomadeobyoco-accusedoAyushoMishraoaliasoBrahmin,oao furthero recoveryo ofo 573o gramso ofo heroino ando drugo moneyo amountingo too th₹28,000o waso effectedo fromo Flato No.605,o 6 o Floor,o Hamptonso Homes,o DistrictoLudhiana.oTheopetitionero(herein)owasonominatedoasoanoaccusedoono

14.07.2025o ono theo basiso ofo disclosureo statementso madeo byo co-accusedo –o AyushoMishraoaliasoBrahminoandoMehakoaliasoSeerat.oo

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatotheopetitionero isoinocustodyosinceo10.08.2025.oLearnedocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothato mandatoryo provisionso ofo theo NDPSo Acto haveo noto scrupulouslyo beeno compliedowith,oandothus,otheoprosecutionocaseosuffersofromoinherentodefects.o Learnedocounselohasoiteratedothatotheotrialoisodelayedoandotheoliabilityothereofo cannotobeofastenedouponotheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedo thato soleo basiso too arrayo theo petitionero aso ano accusedo iso theo disclosureo statementoofoco-accusedo–oAyushoMishraoaliasoBrahminoandoMehakoaliaso Seerat.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheopetitionerohasosufferedo incarcerationoforomoreothano08omonths.oThus,oregularobailoisoprayedofor.oo

4.o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo presento petitiono byo arguingothatotheoallegationsoraisedoagainstotheopetitioneroareoseriousoinonatureo and,othus,otheopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularobail.o

o o 3o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso furthero submittedo thato theo instanto bailo pleao iso barredobyotheorigorsoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,oandothus,otheosameo oughto too beo dismissed.o Learnedo Stateo counselo seekso too placeo ono recordo custodyocertificateodatedo22.04.2026,oinotheoCourtotoday,owhichoisotakenoono record.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveogoneothrougho theoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.oo

6.o o Theo petitionero waso arrestedo ono 10.08.2025,o whereinaftero investigationowasocarriedooutoandochallanoquaotheopetitionerowasopresentedoono

24.12.2025.oTotalo34oprosecutionowitnessesohaveobeenocited,ooutoofowhich,o noneohasobeenoexaminedotillodate.oIndubitably,oconclusionoofotheotrialowillo takeoitsoownotime.oTheopetitionerohasobeenoimplicatedoasoanoaccusedoinotheo FIRoinoquestionosolelyoonotheobasisoofodisclosureostatementoofoco-accusedo–o AyushoMishraoaliasoBrahminoandoMehakoaliasoSeerat.oAsoperoprosecutiono version,othereoisonoootheromaterialoavailableotooconnectotheopetitionerowithotheo contrabandoexceptoforotheosaidodisclosureostatement.oItoisopertinentotoonoteo thatosuchodisclosureostatements,o inotheo absenceoofocorroborativeo evidenceo holdolimitedoevidentiaryovalueoandocannotobeosoleobasisoforoimplicatingotheo petitioner.o Theo relianceo ono thiso unsubstantiatedo statemento raiseso seriouso doubtsoaboutotheofairnessoandoobjectivityoofotheoinvestigation.oItoisonotoino disputeo thato theo petitionero waso noto presento ato theo spot.o Theo veracityo ando weightageorequiredotoobeoattachedotootheodisclosureostatementomadeobyotheo co-accusedowillobeofullyotestedoatotheotimeoofotrial.oTheorivalocontentionso raisedoatoBarogiveoriseotoodebatableoissues,owhichoshallobeoratiocinatedoupono duringotheocourseoofotrial.oThisoCourtodoesonotodeemoitoappropriateotoodelveo

o o 4o o deepointootheseorivalocontentions,oatothisostage,olestoitomayoprejudiceotheotrial.o Nothingotangibleohasobeenobroughtoforwardotooindicateotheolikelihoodoofotheo petitionero abscondingo fromo theo processo ofo justiceo oro interferingo witho theo prosecutionoevidence.oo

6.1.o o Atothisojuncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferotooaojudgmento passedobyothisoCourtoinoAnshuloSardanaoversusoStateoofoPunjab,opassedoinoAnshuloSardanaoversusoStateoofoPunjab CRM-M-65094-2024o (2025:o PHHC:004198),o wherein,o aftero relyingo upono theoratioodecidendioofotheojudgmentsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoTofano SinghoversusoStateoofoTamiloNadu,oAIRo2020oSupremeoCourto5592;oSmt.o Najmunisha,o Abdulo Hamido Chandmiyao @o Ladooo Bapuo versuso Stateo ofo Gujrat,o Narcoticso Controlo Bureau,o 2024o INSCo 290;o Stateo byo (NCB)o Bengaluruo vs.o Pallulabido Ahmado Arimuttao &o Anr.',o 2022o (1)o RCRo (Criminal)o762;oandoVijayoSinghovs.oTheoStateoofoHaryana,obearingoSpecialo LeaveotooAppealo(Crl.)oNo.(s)o1266/2023,odecidedoono17.05.2023,ohasoheldo thus:oo "6.3oo o Itoisoaowelloestablishedoprincipleoofolawothatoaoconfessiono madeobyoaoco-accusedounderoSectiono67oofotheoNDPSoActoisoinherentlyoao veryoweakopieceoofoevidence.ooSuchostatement(s),obyothemselves,ocannoto formo theo soleo basiso foro theo convictiono ofo ano individualo ando musto beo scrutinizedo witho utmosto cautiono ino conjunctiono witho othero substantiveo evidence.oMoreover,onoorecoveryohasobeenoeffectedofromotheopossessionoofo theopetitioner,owhoohasobeenosubsequentlyoimplicatedoasoanoaccusedosolelyo ono theo basiso ofo disclosureo statemento ofo theo co-accused.o However,o aso regularobailopertainsotoolifeoandolibertyoofoindividual,oCourtsoareoobligatedo toostrikeoaobalanceobetweenosafeguardingopersonalolibertyoandoensuringotheo effectiveo administrationo ofo justiceo aso alsoo investigation.o Theo finalo evidentiaryovalueoandoadmissibilityoofotheodisclosureostatementomadeobyoao co-accusedo fallo withino theo domaino ofo theo trialo Courto ando areo too beo adjudicatedoduringotheocourseoofotheotrialoinoaccordanceowithoestablishedo principlesoofolaw.oHowever,owhileoadjudicatingoaopleaofororegularobail,othiso Courto cannoto remaino obliviouso too theo circumstanceso undero whicho theo petitionerohasobeenoarraignedooroimplicated,oincludingotheonatureoofotheo allegations,otheoevidenceolinkingotheopetitionerotootheooffenceoasowelloasotheo specificoroleoattributedotootheopetitioneroinotheocommissionoofotheoallegedo offence.oAoprimaofacieoexaminationoofotheseofactorsoisoessentialotooensureo thatotheoprocessoofolawoisonotomisused,oabusedooromisdirected."o o

o o 5o o

6.2.o o Ao perusalo ofo theo zimnio orderso broughto fortho byo theo learnedo counseloforotheopetitionerorevealsothatotheotrialoisoindeedoprocrastinatingoando follyo thereofo cannoto beo saddledo upono theo petitioner.o Aso pero custodyo certificateodatedo22.04.2026ofiledobyotheolearnedoStateocounsel,otheopetitionero hasoalreadyosufferedoincarcerationoforoaoperiodoofo08omonthsoando04odays,o&o isonotoshownotoobeoinvolvedoinoanyootheroFIR(s).oInothisoviewoofotheomatter,o theorigoroimposedounderoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoActostandsodilutedoinolighto ofotheoArticleo21oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndia.oo

6.3.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 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

o o 6o o 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 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

o o 7o o 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

6.4.o o Indubitably,o theo presento petitiono iso theo thirdo attempto byo theo petitionero too secureo regularo bail.o Theo firsto bailo pleao waso dismissedo aso withdrawnoono04.12.2025oandosecondopleaowasoalsoodismissedoasowithdrawn,o video orderodatedo 10.02.2026.o Keepingoino viewotheo entiretyo ofo theo factualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand;o especially,o factumo ofo theo petitionero havingo sufferedo extendedo incarcerationo &o paceo ofo trial;o thiso Courto iso inclinedotoo affirmativelyoconsiderotheoinstantopleaoforobail.ooAoprofitableoreference,oino thisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooaojudgmentoofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023ootitledoasoRafiqoKhanoversusoStateoofoHaryanaoandoanother;orelevanto whereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Aso ano epilogueo too theo aboveo discussion,o theo followingo principlesoemerge:oo Io Second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o filedo iso maintainableoinolawo&ohenceosuchopetitionooughtonototoobeorejectedo solelyoonotheogroundoofomaintainabilityothereof.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 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

o o 8o o oughtonotobeoabstractedointooliteraloiterationsoofopetition(s)owithouto substantial,oeffectiveoandoconsequentialochangeoinocircumstances.oo IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whatowouldoconstituteosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoasoeveryo caseo haso itso owno uniqueo facts/circumstance.o Makingo sucho ano attemptoisonothingobutoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueoiso bestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourtodealingo withosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s).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 o o Sufficeo too say,o furthero detentiono ofo theo petitionero aso ano undertrialoisonotowarrantedoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.oo

7.o o Inoviewoofoabove,otheopresentopetitionoisoallowed.oPetitioneroiso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobail,oifonotorequiredoinoanyootherocase,oono hisofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotootheosatisfactionoofotheoLd.oconcernedotrialo Court/Dutyo Magistrate.o However,o ino additiono too conditionso thato mayo beo imposedobyotheoconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrate,otheopetitioneroshallo remainoboundobyotheofollowingoconditions: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

o o 9o 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 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 o ooo o oooooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o ooooooJUDGEo Aprilo23,o2026oo mahavir/ashwanio o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

o o