SURENDRAN Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an application for regular bail.

(2.) The petitioner is the 5th accused in Crime No. 47/2021 registered under Sec. 20(b)(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (in short, "NDPS Act").

(3.) The prosecution case in brief is that, on 12/9/2021 at 8:15 am the accused were found in possession of and transporting 145.5 kgs of ganja in the bus bearing Reg.No. KL 40 H-452 Rao's Travels Tourist Bus and the cars bearing Registration No. KL 07 CG 4567 Ertiga and KL 33 G 6670 Eon at the service road of Salem-Kanyakumari National Highway at Padinjare Yakkara, Kannadi II, Palakkad. The prosecution allegation against the petitioner is that he was a passenger in KL-33 G 6670 Eon Car from which 20.5 kg ganja was found. The petitioner was arrested by the Excise Enforcement and Anti Narcotic Special Squad on 12/9/2021 and produced before the jurisdictional court on that day and is in judicial custody since then. He has been in judicial custody for over 190 days. The petitioner had filed two bail applications before the District and Sessions Court - IV, Palakkad, both of which were rejected.