Ankit Bansal vs State Of Himachal Pradesh

Sandeep Sharma, J

Bail petitioner, namely Ankit Bansal, who is behind the bars since 18.02.2026, has approached this Court in the instant proceedings filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, for grant of regular bail in case FIR No.23/2026, dated 18.02.2026, under Section 20 of NDPS Act, registered at Police Station BSL Colony, Sundernagar, District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

Respondent/State has filed status report on 09.03.2026. ASI Kashmir Singh, PS BSL Colony, Sundernagar, has come present along with record. Record perused and returned.

Close scrutiny of status report/record reveals that on 18.02.2026, Police party present near NH-21, Sundernagar, stopped bus bearing No.HP-42-3331 for checking and allegedly recovered 111 grams of charas from the bag of the person sitting on seat No.18 i.e. petitioner. Since no plausible explanation ever came to to be rendered on record qua possession of aforesaid intermediate quantity of contraband, Police after having completed necessary codal formalities, lodged FIR, detailed hereinabove, and since then, petitioner is behind bars.

Since investigation in the case at hand is complete and nothing remains to be recovered from the petitioner, coupled with the fact that final exams of the petitioner have already commenced, who at present is studying in 5th semester of Bachelor of Engineering at Thapar Engineering College, Patiala, petitioner has approached this Court in the instant proceedings for grant of bail.

While fairly admitting factum with regard to completion of investigation, learned Additional Advocate General states that though nothing remains to be recovered from the bail petitioner, but keeping in view the gravity of offence, alleged to have been committed by him, he does not deserve any leniency. He states that since petitioner has committed heinous crime, having adverse impact on the society, it may not be in the interest of justice to enlarge him on bail, because in that event, he may not only flee from justice, but may again indulge in these activities. He further states that since petitioner is a student, studying in Thapar Engineering College, Patiala, there is apprehension that petitioner is supplying contraband to other fellow students.

Having heard learned counsel representing the parties and perused material available on record, this Court is not persuaded to agree with Ms. Kiran Dhiman, learned counsel representing the petitioner that petitioner herein has been falsely implicated because intermediate quantity of contraband has been recovered from the bag of the petitioner in the presence of independent witnesses. However, having taken note of the fact that petitioner is first-time offender and intermediate quantity of contraband has been recovered from his possession, coupled with the fact that he is a student of 5th semester of Bachelor of Engineering, at Thapar Engineering College, Patiala, this Court is persuaded to consider the prayer made on behalf of the petitioner for grant of bail. Moreover, this Court finds that on account of recovery of intermediate quantity of contraband, rigors of Section 37 of the Act are not attracted. Date-sheet annexed with the petition clearly reveals that final exams of 5th semester have commenced in Thapar Engineering College, Patiala, and in case prayer made on behalf of the petitioner for grant of bail is not allowed, his entire career would be jeopardised. Otherwise also, no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner behind bars, rather he is required to be provided immediate medical assistance for his rehabilitation, so that he is brought back to mainstream at the earliest.

Hon’ble Apex Court as well as this Court in catena of cases have repeatedly held that one is deemed to be innocent till the time guilt, if any, of his/her is not proved in accordance with law. In the case at hand also, guilt, if any, of the accused is yet to be proved in accordance with law, by leading cogent and convincing material on record, as such, his incarceration in jail for indefinite period is clear cut violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Apprehension expressed by the learned Additional Advocate General that in the event of petitioner’s being enlarged on bail, he may flee from justice, can be best met by putting the bail petitioner to stringent conditions as has been fairly stated by the learned counsel for the petitioner.

Hon'ble Apex Court in Criminal Appeal No. 227/2018, Dataram Singh vs. State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr decided on 6.2.2018 has held that freedom of an individual cannot be curtailed for indefinite period, especially when his/her guilt is yet to be proved. It has been further held by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the aforesaid judgment that a person is believed to be innocent until found guilty.

Hon’ble Apex Court in Sanjay Chandra versus Central Bureau of Investigation (2012)1 Supreme Court Cases 49 has held that gravity alone cannot be a decisive ground to deny bail, rather competing factors are required to be balanced by the court while exercising its discretion. It has been repeatedly held by the Hon’ble Apex Court that object of bail is to secure the appearance of the accused person at his trial by reasonable amount of bail. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventative.

In Manoranjana Sinh alias Gupta versus CBI, (2017) 5 SCC 218, Hon'ble Apex Court has held that the object of the bail is to secure the attendance of the accused in the trial and the proper test to be applied in the solution of the question whether bail should be granted or refused is whether it is probable that the party will appear to take his trial. Otherwise also, normal rule is of bail and not jail. Apart from above, Court has to keep in mind nature of accusations, nature of evidence in support thereof, severity of the punishment, which conviction will entail, character of the accused, circumstances which are peculiar to the accused involved in that crime.

The Apex Court in Prasanta Kumar Sarkar versus Ashis Chatterjee and another (2010) 14 SCC 496, has laid down various principles to be kept in mind, while deciding petition for bail viz. prima facie case, nature and gravity of accusation, punishment involved, apprehension of repetition of offence and witnesses being influenced.

In view of the aforesaid discussion as well as law laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court, petitioner has carved out a case for grant of bail. Accordingly, present petition is allowed and the petitioner is ordered to be enlarged on bail in aforesaid FIR, subject to his furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two local sureties in the like amount to the satisfaction of concerned Chief Judicial Magistrate/trial Court, with following conditions:

(a) he shall make himself available for the purpose of interrogation, if so required and 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 appropriate application;

(b) he shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence nor hamper the investigation of the case in any manner whatsoever;

(c) he shall not make any inducement, threat or promises to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court or the Police Officer; and

(d) he shall not leave the territory of India without the prior permission of the Court.

It is clarified that if the petitioner misuses the liberty or violates any of the conditions imposed upon him, the investigating agency shall be free to move this Court for cancellation of the bail.

Any observations made hereinabove shall not be construed to be a reflection on the merits of the case and shall remain confined to the disposal of this application alone. The petition stands accordingly disposed of.

The petitioner is permitted to produce copy of the order downloaded from the High Court Website and the trial court shall not insist for certified copy of the order, however, it may verify the order from the High Court website or otherwise.