Chunchun Sah Vs State of Karnataka Criminal Misc Application No. 8292 of 2023

IN THE COURT OF THE XXXIII ADDL.CITY CIVIL &
SESSIONS JUDGE & SPL. JUDGE (NDPS), BENGALURU.
CCH.33.
PRESENT:
SMT. B.S. JAYASHREE, LL.M.,
XXXIII ACC & SJ & SPL.JUDGE (NDPS),
BENGALURU.
DATED: THIS THE 30th DAY OF AUGUST 2023
Crl.Misc.No.8292/2023
Petitioner :
(accused )
Chunchun Sah S/o Maheshar Sah,
R/at 03 Ward, Rani Begusari Bihar851111, Aged 29 Years,
Also R/at No.23/1, Eedge Street
Thigalara Beedhi, Pruthvi Layout,
Varthur, Bengaluru-560087
(By Sri Ramesha Gogi, Adv.)
V/S.

Respondent :
State by Marathahalli Police
(By Public Prosecutor)
ORDER
The present petition U/Sec.439 of Cr.P.C., is filed by the
petitioner to enlarge him on bail, in Cr.No.213/2023 of
Marathahalli
PS,
registered
U/Sec.20(b) of NDPS Act.

for
the
offence
punishable
2
2. The grounds urged by the petitioner for grant of bail
are as under:
That the petitioner is very innocent and law abiding
citizen. He has not committed any offence much less the
offence as alleged. He has no knowledge of alleged crime and
falsely implanted at the instance of extraneous elements. The
mandatory provisions of NDPS Act has not been complied.
Though the alleged offence is non bailable, but is neither
punishable with imprisonment for life or death sentence. The
petitioner is ready and willing to abide by any conditions
imposed by this court in the event of grant of bail. He is ready
to offer surety for his due appearance before this court. He has
no bad antecedents. He is the sole bread earner of his family.
Hence, sought to grant bail.

3. The objection raised by the prosecution is that the
investigating agency has in all seized 2 Kgs., of ganja from the
possession of the accused. The accused is found to be in
possession of narcotic substance. A detailed mahazar is drawn
in the spot. Personal search is conducted. The offence alleged
CCH-33
Crl.Misc.No.8292/2023
3
against
the
petitioner
is
punishable
with
rigorous
imprisonment for a term which shall extend upto 10 years.
There is a prima-facie case available against the petitioner. He
is an habitual drug dealer. In the event of grant of bail, he
would abscond and may hamper the investigation. Hence,
sought to reject the bail plea of petitioner.

4. Heard the arguments of both sides and perused the
records.
5. The points that arise for my consideration are as here
under:
1. Whether petitioner has made out
sufficient grounds to enlarge him on
bail?
2. What order?
6. My findings on the above points are as under:
Point No.1: In the Affirmative
Point No.2: As per the final order for the following:
REASONS
7. POINT NO.1:- A report submitted by PSI, ., who is the
complainant in this case before the Marathahalli PS.
contents of the report is as here under:-
The
4
On
03-08-2023
at
about
12.45
noon,
when
the
complainant police constable was in the station, he has
received credible information from an informant that near KMF
Milk
Dairy,
adjacent
to
Vagdevi
School,
Munnekolala,
Bengaluru, an unknown person is in possession of ganja
illegally. On receipt of the said information he has prepared
report and submitted the same before PSI, basing on the report
case in Crime No.213/2023 is registered against unknown
person for the offence punishable under Section 20(B) of NDPS
Act. PSI of the said police station has proceeded with the
search and seizure. He has informed the matter to the ACP
and sought permission to conduct raid.

He along with staff
and panchas and investigation tools had been to the spot at
2.20 pm. In the spot, a person was holding a carrying bag, he
was surrounded and apprehended. On enquiry he has revealed
his name and address. On checking the bag they found ganja.
The said ganja was weighed the weight came around 2 Kgs.,of
ganja . A detail mahazar is drawn, ganja is seized. Thereafter,
accused was arrested and produced before the court and
remanded to judicial custody.

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Crl.Misc.No.8292/2023
5
8. It is argued by the learned counsel for petitioner that
he is planted in the case by the complainant police he is
unaware of seized drug. The seized article is not commercial
quantity. The mandatory provisions of search and seizure not
complied. He is the permanent resident of the address given
in the cause title. In the event of grant of bail he is ready to
abide by the conditions which are being imposed by this court.

9. It is argued by the prosecution that the petitioner has
committed heinous offence 2 Kgs.,of ganja is seized from the
petitioner. The offence punishable with imprisonment upto 10
years and with fine. There are prima-facie material available
against him.
10.

On careful analysis of rival contentions and the
prosecution papers available on record, it is evident that on
03.08.2023 complainant has conducted raid and apprehended
accused.

On looking to the seizure panchanama the drugs
seized from accused is weighing 2 Kgs.,of ganja. As per
specification of small and commercial quantity of narcotic drug
or psychotropic substance issued by Ministry of Finance
Department
of
Revenue
Notification
S.O.1055(E)
dated
6
19.10.2001 at Sl.No.55 the narcotic drug-ganja 1000 grams is
small quantity and 20 Kgs., is commercial quantity.

In this
case the quantum of ganja seized is 2 Kgs.,of ganja is an
intermediate quantity.

As per the decision of Hon’ble Apex
Court reported in 2018 11 SCC 488 Birbal Prasad Vs.,
State of Bihar wherein it is held that:
Ss.37 and 20 Ц Bail Ц grant of Ц non commercial quantity Ц
quantity involved being only 14 Kgs., of ganja, which is a
non commercial quantity appellant accused not involved in
any other case Ц in above circumstances, held, appellant
should be released on bail, pending trial Ц hence, directions
issued to release appellant on bail, on certain conditions.

The said case law aptly applies to the case on hand in holding
that the contraband seized in the case on hand is intermediate
quantity and it is not commercial quantity.

In the said
circumstances, as per the observations of Hon’ble Apex Court
the bail plea of accused to be considered.
11.

Here
in
this
case
the
drugs
seized
by
the
investigating agency to the tune of 2 Kgs.,of ganja which is an
intermediate
quantity.

When
the
quantity
is
less
than
commercial quantity, rigors of Sec.37 of the NDPS Act will not
attract, and factors become similar to bail petitions under
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Crl.Misc.No.8292/2023
7
regular statues normal, unless the prosecution points towards
exceptional circumstances.

12.

The major portion of investigation in the case is
concluded as the incriminatory article is already seized from
accused.

The offence alleged against the petitioner is not
punishable with death or imprisonment for life. Further
custodial
interrogation
is
not
warranted.

His
Voluntary
statement is already recorded. As per the information provided
by the petitioner he is permanently residing in the address
shown in the cause title. The apprehension of the prosecution
that he may abscond and may protract the trial could be
compensated by imposing stringent conditions. In the result, I
answer the point for consideration in the affirmative.
13. Point No.2:- In the result, I proceed to pass following:
ORDER
The Petition filed by the petitioner U/Sec.439 of
Cr.P.C is hereby allowed.
The petitioner is enlarged on bail on executing
personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two
sureties for the like sum with following conditions.

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1.

The petitioner shall give attendance before
the concerned I.O., once in a month i.e.,
preferably on first Monday of every month in
between 10.00 am., to 2.00 pm., till filing of
charge sheet or further orders whichever is
earlier.

2.

He shall not leave the jurisdiction of this
court without prior permission.

3.

He shall not tamper the witness or abscond.

4.

He
shall
co-operate
investigation.

5.

He shall not commit similar offence or
any offence while on bail.

6.

He shall furnish his photo ID proof and
local address proof document before the
court and photo ID proof of his sureties.

7.

He shall appear before the court on all
hearing dates.

8.

Breach of any of the conditions by the
petitioner would entail cancellation of bail.

with
I.O
for
[Dictated to the stenographer, directly on the computer, typed and
computerised by her, corrected, signed and then pronounced by me in
Open Court on this the 30th day of August, 2023)
(B. S. JAYASHREE)
XXXIII ACC & SJ & SPL.JUDGE,
(NDPS) : BENGALURU.