Mahaveer Prasad @ Bittu vs State Of Rajasthan

Kuldeep Mathur, J

This second application for bail under Section 439 Cr.P.C. has been filed by the petitioner who has been arrested in connection with FIR No.149/2019 registered at Police Station Chhatargarh, District Bikaner, for offence under Section 8/22 of the NDPS Act.

Learned counsel submitted that as per the prosecution, on 25.08.2019, 22500 tablets of Tramadol (Trio-SR) were recovered from conscious possession of the present petitioner. The petitioner was arrested on the spot.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in this case. Learned counsel submitted that the petitioner is in judicial custody since 25.08.2019. He further submitted that out of total 12 cited prosecution witnesses, not a single prosecution witness has been examined before competent Criminal Court. He further submitted that the delay in trial is not at all attributable to the petitioner. He submitted that the petitioner is in judicial custody for more than 4 years and 2 months and looking to the pace at which trial is being conducted against the present petitioner, the same is not likely to be concluded in near future.

In support of his contention, learned counsel for the petitioner placed reliance on the cases of Rabi Prakash Vs. State of Orisa (Leave to Appeal (Criminal) No.4169/2023 and Mohd Muslim @ Hussain Vs. State (NCT of Delhi) in Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No(s).915 of 2023.

On these grounds, he implored the Court to enlarge the petitioner on bail.

Per contra, learned Public Prosecutor has vehemently opposed the bail application and submitted that petitioner is facing trial for the offences under the NDPS Act and, therefore, the present bail application deserves to be rejected straightway. Learned Public Prosecutor, however, was not in position to refute the fact that in last 4 years and 2 months, out of total 12 cited prosecution witnesses, not a single witness has been examined till date.

Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor. Perused the material available on record.

Having considered the rival submissions, facts and circumstances of the case and considering the fact that the petitioner has suffered incarceration for about 4 years and 2 months and the criminal trial has hardly reached the half-way mark, without expressing any opinion on merits/demerits of the case, this Court is of the opinion that the bail application filed by the petitioner deserves to be accepted.

Accordingly, the second bail application under Section 439 Cr.P.C. is allowed and it is ordered that the accused-petitioner-Mahaveer Prasad @ Bittu S/o Ganesha Ram shall be enlarged on bail in connection with FIR No.149/2019 registered at Police Station Chhatargarh, District Bikaner, provided he furnishes a personal bond in the sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties of Rs.50,000/- each to the satisfaction of the learned trial Judge for his appearance before the court concerned on all the dates of hearing as and when called upon to so.

It is however, made clear that findings recorded/observations made above are for limited purposes of adjudication of bail application. The trial court shall not get prejudiced by the same.