Parshotam Lal Goyal v. Union of India Through Narcotic Control Bureau

o o 1o o o 101o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o CRM-M-59063-2025o(O&M)o(O&M) o ParshotamoLaloGoyaloo ….Petitionero versuso o UnionoofoIndiaothroughoControloBureau,oAmritsaroZonaloUnito oo ….Respondento o DateoofoDecision:oFebruaryo16,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oFebruaryo17,o2026o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oR.S.oRai,oSenioroAdvocateowithoo o o Mr.oFarhadoKohli,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oSourabhoGoel,oSpecialoPublicoProsecutor,oNCBowithoo o o Ms.oAnjuoBansal,oAdvocate,oo o o Ms.oGeetikaoSharma,oAdvocate,oo o o Ms.oHimanshioGautam,oadvocate,oo o o Ms.oSakshioGautam,oAdvocateoandoo o o Ms.oSamriddhioJain,oAdvocateoforotheorespondento–oNCB.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o o o Presento petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 482o ofo theo BharatiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNSS')oforograntoofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner(s),oinoNCBoCrimeoCaseoNo.4/2025odatedo

07.02.2025,oregisteredounderoSectionso8,o8-A,o21,o22,o23,o25,o26,o27-A,o27-B,o 29oando60oofotheoNarcoticoDrugsoandoPsychotropicoSubstancesoAct,o1985o(foro

o o o o 2o o shorto 'NDPSo Act'),o ato Policeo Stationo Narcoticso Controlo Bureau,o Amritsaro ZonaloUnit,oDistrictoAmritsar.oo

2.o o AsoperocaseosetupobyotheoNarcoticsoControloBureau,otheocomplainto inoquestionoinvolvesorecoveryoofocommercialoquantityoofocontraband,odetails,o whereoforeadsothus:o Sr.o DateoofoSeizureo PlaceoofoSeizureo Drugoseizedo No.o

1.o 07.02.2025o AtoPeeroBabaoDargaah,o 5,000otabletsoofoTramadoloHydrochlorideo Thathiyao Nearo Petrolo Pump,o Jandialao Tarno TaranoRoad,oAmritsaro

2.o 08/09.02.2025o Jo Ro Pharmaceuticals,o 16,860otabletsoofoTramadoloHydrochlorideo PlotoNo.o–o27,oSector-7,o IIE,oSidcul,oHaridwar.o

3.oo 09.02.2025o Jo Ro Pharmaceuticals,o 187o bottleso ofo Barcadino (witho codeine)o 100mlo PlotoNo.o–o27,oSector-7,o ando140obottlesoofoCSPo(withocodeine)o100oml.o IIE,oSidcul,oHaridwar.o

4.o 15.02.2025o Jo Ro Pharmaceuticals,o 80.720o Kgso ofo Tramadolo Hydrochlorideo looseo PlotoNo.o–o27,oSector-7,o tabletso IIE,oSidcul,oHaridwar.o

5.o 17o too Jo Ro Pharmaceuticals,o 8,89,064o bottleso ofo Codenieo Phosphateo Cougho

28.02.2025o PlotoNo.o–o27,oSector-7,o Syrupo100ml.o IIE,oSidcul,oHaridwar.o

6.o 28.03.2025o IKONo Pharmachemo 240otabletsoofoAlprazolamoando1560otabletsoofo Pvt.o Ltd.o Selaqui,o TramadoloHydrochlorideo Dehraduno

7.o 29.03.2025o Shopo No.o –o F27,o 1,24,200otabeltsoofoAlproazolamo TransportoNagar,oSewlao Kalan,o Dehradun,o Uttarkhand.o

8.o 18o too Jo Ro Pharmaceuticals,o 11,693o Bottleso ofo Codeineo Phosphateo Cougho

20.04.2025o PlotoNo.o–o27,oSector-7,o Syrupo ando 2.982o Kgso ofo Whiteo Powdero ofo IIE,oSidcul,oHaridwar.o Tramadolo(Suspected).o

9.o 10o too IKONo Pharmachemo 931opacketsocontainingoapprox.o156,465obottleso

17.06.2025o Pvt.o Ltd.,o Selaqui,o ofo CBCS,o approx.o 178,9600o tabletso ofo Dehraduno Psychotropicomedicine,orawomaterialoofo304.94o Kgo Tramadolo Hcl,o 44.47o Kgo ofo Codenieo Phosphate,o7.04oKgoAlprazolamoandoapproxo643o Kgo rawo materialso ofo othero psychotropico &o narcoticsoholdoinoprocessoproducto

10.o 12.08.2025o M/soDigitaloVision,o176o 1,368o capsuleso ofo Tramadolo +o 16o bottleso ofo Mouzao Ogli,o Nahano CodeineoPhosphateoCoughosyrupo Road,o Kala-amb,o Sirmour,oHPo

11.o 09/o10.11.2025o M/so Vellintono 50,000oampouleso(2omloeach)o100omgoTramadol,o Healthcare,o Vill-5,000oVialso(10omloeach)oMidazolam,o12.060oKgo Rampuro Jatan,o ofo Tramadolo HCL,o 0.300o Kgo ofo Midazolamo Trilokpuro Road,o Kala-Hydrochloride,oti.980oKgoofoLorazepam,oti.570o amb,oSirmour,oHPo Kgo ofo Diazepam,o 1.050o Kgo ofo Pentazocineo powdero

12.o 11.10.2025o M/soDigitaloVision,o176o o Mouzao Ogli,o Nahano

o o o o 3o o Road,o Kala-amb,o Sirmour,oHPo

13.o 12.11.2025o too M/soDigitaloVision,o176o 12olakhsotabletsoofoNRx/oPsychotropicomedicineo

16.11.2025o Mouzao Ogli,o Nahano ando 150.62o Kgo ofo NRx/o Psychotropico Rawo Road,o Kala-amb,o materials,o23.674oKgoofoDispensedoPsychotropico Sirmour,oHPo Rawo materials,o 165.840o Kgo ofo Compressed/o coatedo Psychotropico Tablets,o 271.10o Kgo Psychotropico Granuleso Powdero Substanceo ando

573.100o Kgo ofo Tramadolo HCLo Granuleso (mixtureoreadyoforofilingoinocapsules)obulko o

3.o o Learnedoseniorocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatoaobareo perusaloofotheoFIRoitselfoshowsothatoallegationsoleveledoagainstotheopetitionero areoconcocted,oimprobableoandodevoidoofoanyomerit.oLearnedoseniorocounselo hasofurtheroiteratedothatotheofirmoDigitaloVision,owhoseopremisesowereoraidedo ono12.08.2025oisohavingoGSToregistrationoandoalsooregisteredowithoCentralo BureauoofoNarcotics,oGwalior.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasoiteratedothatoHealtho ando Familyo Welfareo Department,o Himachalo Pradesh,o Drugo Controlo Administrationohasoalsooissuedomanufacturingolicencesotootheosaidofirm,owhicho isovalidotillo16.06.2028.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheo petitioneroisonoolongeropartnerowithotheosaidofirmoandohasonooroleoinoitsodayotoo dayoaffairs.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasoarguedothatotheoNCBoteamoconductedo raidoatotheohouseoofotheopetitioner,oono12.08.2025,osituatedoinoAmbalaoCantt,o andoallegedlyoseizedoanoamountoofoRs.32.45olacso(cash)oalongowitholaptopoando 13o files.o Learnedo senioro counselo haso alsoo iteratedo thato ao raido waso alsoo conductedo ono M/so Digitalo Vision,o ono 12.08.2025o ando M/so Vellintono Healthcare,o Kalao Amb,o ono 14.08.2025,o ando hado wronglyo seizedo certaino controlledo medicineso stocks,o however,o theo sameo wereo legalo stockso aso pero DrugsoandoCosmeticsoAct,o1940.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasoiteratedothatoM/so VellintonoHealthcare,oKalaoAmboisoalsoohavingovalidoGSToregistrationoasoalsoo valido manufacturingo licenceso tillo 05.10.2028.o Learnedo senioro counselo haso

o o o o 4o o arguedothatotheopetitionerowasopreviouslyopartneroofoDigitaloVision,obutoretiredo inotheoyearo2022.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasoarguedothatotheoseizureobyotheo NCBofromotheoareaoofoAmritsaroandootheropersonsoinvolvedoinotheochallanohaso nooconnectionowithoM/soDigitaloVision,oKalaoAmb,oandoevenotheosaidofirmohaso notomanufacturedotheoproducto(TREKEM-100).oLearnedoseniorocounselohaso furtheroiteratedothatotillotheofilingoofotheochallan/ocomplaint,otheomedicineso manufacturedobyotheofirmowereonotoinvolvedodirectlyooroindirectlyoinoreferenceo toosaleo oropurchaseowitho anyo co-accused.o Learnedosenioro counselo haso alsoo arguedothatotheopetitionerohadoprovidedoGSTodocuments,opurchaseoordersoofo allo theo threeo firmso witho whomo M/so Digitalo Visiono hado doneo theo business.oo Learnedoseniorocounselohasoalsooarguedothatotheofirmohasocompliedowithotheo mandatoryoprovisionsoofotheoNDPSoAct.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasoarguedo thatotheopetitionerohasonooroleotooplayoinotheopresentomatter,oratherohasobeeno madeoaoscapegoatoatotheohandsoofotheoInvestigatingoAgency.oo

3.1.o o Learnedo senioro counselo haso furthero submittedo thato custodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisonoolongerowarrantedoasonothingoincriminatingo remainsotoobeorecoveredofromothem.oMoreover,othereoisonoolikelihoodoofotheo petitionero abscondingo fromo theo processo ofo justiceo oro tamperingo witho theo prosecutiono evidence,o ino case,o theyo areo enlargedo ono pre-arresto bail.o Ono strengthoofotheseosubmissions,otheograntoofoanticipatoryobailoisoentreatedofor.oo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedocounseloforotheorespondento–oNCBohasofiledo statuso reporto datedo 06.11.2025,o whicho iso alreadyo ono record.o Raisingo submissionsoinotandemowithotheosaidoreply,olearnedocounselohasoopposedotheo granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo too theo petitionero byo arguingo thato theo offenceo

o o o o 5o o committedobyotheopetitioneroisoseriousoinonatureoasopertainingotooinvolvemento ofocommercialoquantityounderoNDPSoAct.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedothatoato theotimeooforaidoconductedoono12.08.2025,otheopetitionerowasofoundopresento andohadoalsooappendedohisosignaturesoonotheopanchnama.oOnotheosameoday,o fromotheohouseoofotheopetitioner,oRs.32.45olakhso(cash),oaolaptopoando13ofileso containingodocumentsorelatedotooM/soDigitaloVisionowasoalsoorecovered.oHeo hasofurtheroarguedothatoasoperotheoavailableorecordsoM/soDigitalovisionohaso alreadyosuppliedo13,79,232ocapsulesoofoTramadolotooTiwarioMedicaloAgencieso Dehraduno ino theo yearo 2024;o 9,21,600o capsuleso ofo Tramadolo too M/so Ramao MedicoseoJodhpuroinotheoyearo2024oando11,49,120oCapsulesoofoTramadoloando 11,970obottlesoofoCodeineoPhosphateocoughosyrupo100mloinotheoyearo2024oando 23,01,696oCapsuleoofoTramadoloinotheoyear,o2025o(tilloJuneomonth)otooM/so Maao Jagdambao Medicose,o Jodhpuro Rajasthan.o Allo theseo threeo firmso wereo foundotoobeonon-existentoatotheotimeoofotheirophysicaloverification.oo

4.1.o o Further,olearnedocounseloforotheorespondento–oNCBohasoalsoofiledo anoadditionaloaffidavitodatedo08.12.2025,owhichoisoalsooonorecord.oRelevantoofo theosaidoadditionaloaffidavitoreadsothus:o "Theo petitionero waso admittedlyo runningo theo pharmaceuticalo firmo namelyoM/soDigitaloVisionoandowhileoheoassertsothatoheoretiredoasopartneroino 2022,oheohasocontinuedotoofileotheoGSToreturnsoofotheofirmoasoitsoauthorizedo signatory,o witho theo latesto returno filedo ono 22.08.2025,o whereino heo haso describedohimselfoasopartner.oFurtherotheopetitioneroisoalsootheoauthorizedo representativeoofoM/soDigitaloVisionobeforeotheoCentraloBureauoofoNarcoticso

(CBN).o Thiso unequivocallyo demonstrateso thato theo petitionero remainedo ino actualocontroloandomanagementoofotheofirmoandothatotheoallegedoretiremento deedoisomerelyoaopaperoformalityocreatedotooshieldohimofromoliability.oTheo petitionerocontinuedofilingoofostatutoryoreturns,oanoactopermissibleoonlyoforoao personoexercisingooperationaloauthority,oestablishesohisoongoingoassociationo withotheofirm,orenderingohisopleaooforetirementofalse,omisleading,oandoano afterthought.oTheocopyoofotheosaidoformoGSTR-3BoisoannexedoasoAnnexureo R-13.oo

4.oo Thatoduringofurtheroinvestigationoitowasounearthedothatotheopetitionero isotheoowneroofotheoSuperlimeoBuilding,oVillageoOglioNahanoRoad,o

o o o o 6o o KalaoAmb,oHimachaloPradeshoandocompleteobuildingowasorentedoouto too M/so Digitalo Visiono (aso pero theo rento deedo datedo 20.11.2019,o AnnexureoR-14).oo o o Ito iso pertinento too mentiono hereo thato wheno theo premiseso ofo SuperlimeoBuilding,oVillageoOglioNahanoRoad,oKalaoAmb,oHimachalo PradeshowasorentedooutotheopetitionerowasooneoofotheopartneroinoM/so DigitaloVision.oo Fromo thiso veryo premiseso commercialo quantitieso ofo NRXo medicineso i.eo 39,600o tabletso ofo Chlordiazepoxideo haveo beeno recoveredoono11.11.2025.oUponoaskingoitowasodisclosedothatotheosaido tabletsobelongotoooneoM/soSkincareoCreationsowhichoisoaopartnershipo firmoofoKonicoGoyaloandoManicoGoyalobothosonsoofotheopetitioner.o Uponoasking,otheostaffoofoDigitaloVisionoi.eoMr.oRohitoChaudharyo hado providedo theo copyo ofo licenseo ino theo nameo ofo M/so Skincareo creations.oPerusaloofotheosaidolicenseonoowhereofindomentionsotheo addressoofoSuperlimeoBuildingofromowhereotheorecoveryowasomade.o OneoParveshoKumarohasoclaimedohimselfotoobeotheostoreoinchargeoofo Superlime.oo ItoisopertinentotoomentionohereothatotheopremisesoofoSuperlimeo Building,oVillageoOglioNahanoRoad,oKalaoAmb,oHimachaloPradesho noowhereofindomentionoinoanyoofotheolicensesoissuedobyotheoStateo DrugoController,oBaddiotooM/soDigitaloVision.oTheopetitioneroandohiso sonsoareothusoclearlyoandoactivelyoinvolvedoinotheoillegalostorageoando diversionoofocontrolledopharmaceuticalosubstancesoandoisonotoentitledo tooanyoreliefoofoanticipatoryobail.oo Despiteosuchoaomassiveorecoveryofromoaopropertyoownedobyo him,otheopetitionerohasodeliberatelyosuppressedotheseofactsoandohaso placedo nothingo ono recordo too explaino oro rebuto hiso nexuso witho theo premisesofromowhichotheocontrabandohasobeenoseized.oo Further,o investigationo haso alsoo revealedo thato Konico ando Manicowereosimultaneouslyorunningoanotherobusinessoentityofromotheo sameopremisesounderotheonameo"SkincareoCreations".oo Theo presenceo ofo multipleo inter-linkedo businesso activitieso operatingofromotheobuildingoofotheopetitionerowhichoheohadorentedotoo M/soDigitaloVision,ocoupledowithotheolarge-scaleorecoveryoofoNRxo medicines,o fortifieso theo chaino ofo circumstanceso demonstratingo theo knowledge,ocontroloandocontinuedoinvolvementoofotheopetitioner.oTheo completeosilenceoofotheopetitioneroamountsotoodeliberateosuppressiono andofurtherounderminesotheocredibilityoofohisodefence.oo

5.o Thatoasomentionedoinotheostatusoreportoalreadyofiled,owheno searcho waso conductedo ono 12.08.2025o ato M/so Digitalo Vision,o documentsowereofoundoofosupplyomadeotoothreeofirmsonamelyoTiwario medicos,o Ramao Medicoso Jodhpuro ando Maao Jagdambao Medicoso Jodhpur.oo ThatoMaaoJagdambaomedicos,otoowhomosubstantialoquantitieso wereoshownotoobeosupplied,owasofoundotoobeonon-existentobyotheo Stateoauthoritieso(AnnexureoR-4).oo Ito iso pertinento too mentiono hereo thato licenseo ofo M/so Maao JagdambaoMedicoseowasocancelledobyotheocompetentoauthorityoono

29.11.2024.oTheocopyoofotheoorderodatedo29.11.2024ocancelingotheo registrationoofoMaaoJagdambaooMedicoseoisoannexedoasoAnnexure-R-

15.oo

6.o ThatoanotherofirmoRamaoMedicosotoowhomosupplyowasomadeo byotheoM/soDigitaloVision,owasoalsoofoundonototoobeononoexistentoato theodeclareopremises.oTheolicenseotootheosaidofirmowasoissuedoono

o o o o 7o o

02.05.2024o ando wheno inspectiono waso madeo byo theo competento authorityoono21.1.2025,otheofirmowasofoundotoobeononoexistent.oo

7.o ThatoM/soTiwarioMedicaloAgenciesowasosimilarlyofoundotoobeo nonexistentoonotheoground.oo Theseofindingsoclearlyodemonstrateothatotheopetitionerowasoroutingo psychotropicomedicinesothroughofictitiousooronon-functionaloentitieso too masko illegalo diversion.o Theo useo ofo sucho boguso outletso iso ao hallmarkoofoillicitopharmaceuticalodiversionoandodirectlyoimplicateso theopetitioneroinooffencesounderotheoNDPSoAct.oTheopetitionerohaso offeredonooexplanationoforotheseoglaringodiscrepancies.oo

8.o Thato duringo investigationo ito waso alsoo unearthedo thato theo monthlyo reportso submittedo byo M/so Digitalo Visiono too Stateo Drugo ControlleroasowelloasotooCBNo(asoprovidedoduringotheoinvestigation)o clearlyoshowsothatosuppliesoofoNRxomedicinesowereobeingomadeotoo "MaaoJagdambaoMedicosoevenoafterotheocancellationoinoNovembero 2024.oo o InvestigationohasoconclusivelyorevealedothatoMaaoJagdambao Medicosoisoaonon-existentoentityoandoitsolicenseohadoalreadyobeeno cancelled.oo o Submissionso too theo drugo controllero thuso becomeo incriminatingothatotheosupplyochainoreflectedoonopaperoisofabricatedo andothatotheocontrolledosubstancesowereoneverointendedoforolegitimateo distribution.oTheocopyoofotheosaidoReportsoforotheoperiodoJanuaryotoo Juneo2025osubmittedowithotheoStateoDrugoControlleroandoCBNoiso annexedoasoAnnexure-R-16oandoR-17.oo o Inoviewoofotheoaboveoincriminatingocircumstances,ofabricatedo records,oroutingoofoNRXomedicinesotoonon-existentoentities,olarge-scaleorecoveryoofopsychotropicosubstancesofromopremisesoownedobyo theo petitioner,o ando evidenceo ofo hiso continuedo operationalo controlo overoM/soDigitaloVisionodespiteoclaimingoretirement,otheopetitionero wasorepeatedlyocalledotoojoinotheoinvestigation.oHowever,oheochoseo nototoocooperateoandopersistentlyoevadedoappearance.oo o Owingo too hiso deliberateo non-cooperationo ando abscondingo conduct,onon-bailableowarrantso(NBW)ohaveobeenoissuedoagainstotheo petitionerobyotheoCompetentoCourt.oTheoissuanceoofoNBWsohasoao directo consequenceo ofo theo petitioner'so owno conduct,o furthero demonstratingohisointentotooevadeotheolegaloprocessoandoreinforcingo theonecessityoofocustodialointerrogation.oTheocopyoofotheosaidoNBWo datedo26.11.2025oforo3.1.2026oisoAnnexure-R-18."o o

4.2.o o Pursuantotootheoorderodatedo11.02.2026,olearnedocounseloforotheo respondento–oNCBohasofiledoanoaffidavitodatedo16.02.2026,oinotheoCourtotoday,o whichoisotakenoonorecord.oInotermsoofotheosaidoaffidavit,olearnedocounseloforotheo respondento–oNCBohasosubmittedothatoprovisionsoofoSectiono172oofotheoCr.o P.C./o 192o ofo theo BNSSo willo noto applyo too theo investigations,o aso ito iso noto providedoinotheoNDPSoActotoomaintainoanyocaseodiary.oo

o o o o 8o o

4.3.o o Inocase,otheopetitioneroisograntedoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobail,o thereoisoallolikelihoodothatoheomayoabscondofromotheoprocessoofojusticeoandoalsoo intimidateo theo prosecutiono evidence/o witnesses.o Learnedo counselo foro theo respondento–oNCBohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheoinstantobailopleaoisobarredobyo theorigorsoofoSectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct,oandothus,otheosameooughtotoobeo dismissed.oOnotheostrengthoofotheseosubmissions,odismissaloofotheopetitionoino handoisoentreatedofor.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.oo

6.o o Itowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooaojudgmentopassedobyotheo Hon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinotheocaseotitledoasoSumithaoPradeepovs.oArunoKumaro C.K.oandoanother,o2022(4)oRCRo(Criminal)o977,orelevantowhereoforeadsoaso under:oo "12.oo Inoaocaseocontainingosuchoseriousoallegations,otheoHighoCourtooughto nototoohaveoexercisedoitsojurisdictionoinograntingoprotectionoagainstoarrest,oaso theoInvestigatingoOfficerodeservesofreehandotootakeotheoinvestigationotooitso logicalo conclusion.o Ito goeso withouto sayingo thato appearanceo beforeo theo InvestigatingoOfficerowho,ohasobeenopreventedofromosubjectingoRespondento No.1otoocustodialointerrogation,ocanohardlyobeofruitfulotoofindooutotheoprimao facieosubstanceoinotheoallegations,owhichoareoofoextremeoseriousoinonature.ooo o xxxo o xxxo o xxxo o xxxo o

16.o Ino manyo anticipatoryo bailo matters,o weo haveo noticedo oneo commono argumentobeingocanvassedothatonoocustodialointerrogationoisorequiredoand,o therefore,oanticipatoryobailomayobeogranted.oThereoappearsotoobeoaoseriouso misconceptionoofolawothatoifonoocaseoforocustodialointerrogationoisomadeoouto byo theo prosecution,o theno thato aloneo wouldo beo ao goodo groundo too granto anticipatoryobail.oCustodialointerrogationocanobeooneoofotheorelevantoaspectso toobeoconsideredoalongowithootherogroundsowhileodecidingoanoapplicationo seekingoanticipatoryobail.oThereomayobeomanyocasesoinowhichotheocustodialo interrogationoofotheoaccusedomayonotobeorequired,obutothatodoesonotomeano thato theo primao facieo caseo againsto theo accusedo shouldo beo ignoredo oro overlookedo ando heo shouldo beo grantedo anticipatoryo bail.o Theo firsto ando foremostothingothatotheocourtohearingoanoanticipatoryobailoapplicationoshouldo consideroisotheoprimaofacieocaseoputoupoagainstotheoaccused.oThereafter,otheo natureoofotheooffenceoshouldobeolookedointooalongowithotheoseverityoofotheo punishment.oCustodialointerrogationocanobeooneoofotheogroundsotoodeclineo

o o o o 9o o custodialo interrogation.o However,o eveno ifo custodialo interrogationo iso noto requiredooronecessitated,obyoitself,ocannotobeoaogroundotoograntoanticipatoryo bail."o o

7.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,otheoallegationso againstotheopetitioneroareograveoandospecific.oTheopetitioneroisoinvolvedoinoao case,o whichoinvolvedo recoveryo ofo commercialoquantityoofocontraband.oTheo quantityorecoveredoclearlyoattractsotheorigoursoofotheorelevantoprovisionsoofo Sectiono37oofotheoNDPSoAct.oConsideringotheomagnitudeoofotheorecovery,otheo possibilityoofotheopetitioner'soinvolvementoinoorganizedoillegalotradeocannotobeo ruledo out.o Granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo ato thiso stageo mayo hampero effectiveo investigation.oTheopetitionerohasofailedotoomakeooutoanyoexceptionalogroundso forotheograntoofosuchorelief.oLearnedoStateocounselohasostatedothatoinoviewoofo theo incriminatingo circumstances,o fabricatedo records,o routingo ofo NRXo medicineso too non-existento entities,o large-scaleo recoveryo ofo psychotropico substanceso fromo premiseso ownedo byo theo petitioner,o ando evidenceo ofo hiso continuedo operationalo controlo overo M/so Digitalo Visiono despiteo claimingo retirement,o theo petitionero waso repeatedlyo calledo too joino theo investigation,o however,oheochoseonototoocooperateoandopersistentlyoevadedoappearance.oo

7.1.o o Havingo regardo too theo natureo ofo accusationso ando stageo ofo investigation,o theo Courto findso merito ino theo submissionso thato granto ofo anticipatoryo bail,o ato thiso juncture,o mayo impedeo effectiveo investigationo ando frustrateolegitimateoinvestigativeoefforts.oo

8.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo granto ofo anticipatoryo bail,o theo Courto haso too equilibrateo betweeno protectingo individualorightsoandosafeguardingosocietalointerest(s).oTheoextraordinaryoreliefo

o o o o 10o o ofoanticipatoryobailoisonototoobeograntedoasoaomatterooforoutineoandoisoreservedo foro exceptionalo circumstanceso whereo theo Courto iso satisfiedo thato theo arresto wouldo beo unjustifiedo oro motivated.o Theo Courto oughto too reckono witho theo magnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotootheoaccused;otheo needoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoandowideoimpactoofosucho allegedo iniquitieso ono theo society.o Ito iso imperativeo thato everyo persono ino theo Societyo cano expecto ano atmosphereo freeo fromo forebodingo &o fearo ofo anyo transgression.ooo

9.o o Offenceso undero NDPSo Act,o particularly,o thoseo involvingo commercialo quantityo iso treatedo witho heightenedo seriousnesso owingo too theiro deleteriousoeffectoonopublicohealthoandosocietaloorder.oTheosocietalointerestoino ensuringo effectiveo investigationo ando prosecutiono ofo sucho offenceso assumeso greaterosignificance.oAtothisostage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotooholdothato primaofacieocaseoisonotomadeooutoagainstotheopetitioner.oTheomaterialowhicho hasocomeoonorecordoandopreliminaryoinvestigation,oappearotoobeoestablishedoao reasonableo basiso foro theo accusations.o Thus,o ito iso noto appropriateo too granto anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldonecessarilyocauseoimpedimentoino effectiveoinvestigation.oInoStateov.oAniloSharmao[Stateov.oAniloSharma,o(1997)o 7oSCCo187o:o1997oSCCo(Cri)o1039],otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(SCCo p.o189,oparao6)oo "6.oWeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationoiso qualitativelyo moreo elicitation-orientedo thano questioningo ao suspecto whoo iso well-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoao caseolikeothis,oeffectiveointerrogationoofoaosuspectedopersonoisoofotremendouso advantageo ino disinterringo manyo usefulo informationso ando alsoo materialso whicho wouldo haveo beeno concealed.o Successo ino sucho interrogationo wouldo eludeoifotheosuspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedo byoaopre-arrestobailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.oVeryoofteno interrogationo ino sucho ao conditiono wouldo reduceo too ao mereo ritual.o Theo

o o o o 11o o argumentothatotheocustodialointerrogationoisofraughtowithotheodangeroofotheo personobeingosubjectedotoothird-degreeomethodsoneedonotobeocountenanced,o for,osuchoanoargumentocanobeoadvancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalocases.o TheoCourtohasotoopresumeothatoresponsibleopoliceoofficersowouldoconducto themselvesoinoaoresponsibleomanneroandothatothoseoentrustedowithotheotaskoofo disinterringooffencesowouldonotoconductothemselvesoasooffenders."o o

10.o o Inoviewoofotheoseriousnessoofotheoallegations,othisoCourtofindsonoo compellingo groundo too extendo theo benefito ofo discretionaryo reliefo too theo petitioner.oMoreover,ocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroisonecessaryoforo anoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.oTheopetitionois,othus,odevoido ofomeritsoandoisoherebyodismissed.oo

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressionoofo opinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

12.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.oo o o o 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 Februaryo16,o2026oo mahavirooo o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

o o