BIDESH RAI Vs. INTELLIGENCE OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is third petition filede under Sec. 483 Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 on behalf of petitioner (Bidesh Rai) for grant of regular bail in criminal complaint case (File No. DRI/LDZU/855/INT-02/2021) dtd. 7/3/2022 (Annexure P-1), under Sec. 8, 20, 27A, 29 and 60 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985 (in short 'the N.D.P.S Act'), registered at Revenue Intelligence (Zonal Unit), Ludhiana.

(2.) The earlier two petition i.e., CRM-M-23281-2022 and CRM-M-11970-2024, filled by the petitioner were dismissed by this court vide orders dtd. 24/7/2023 and 19/4/2024, respectively.

(3.) Briefly, the DRI (Zonal Unit), Ludhiana, filed a complaint (F.No.DRI/LDZU/855/INT-02/2021) dtd. 7/3/2022 (Annexure P-1), before the Judge, Special Court, Ludhiana; wherein, it was stated that a specific intelligence report was received by DRI Unit that Cannabis (Ganja) is stored in a godown premises situated at Village Mangli Nichi, Sahnewal, District Ludhiana, which was expected to be removed. The said Intelligence Report was reduced into writing and submitted to the superior officer and thereafter, the afore-said godown premises were searched by the officers of DRI Unit on 8/9/2021. As per the complaint, when the main door of the afore-said premises was knocked, then one person came outside who introduced himself as Shivam Singh son of Gopal Singh. Said Shivam Singh was informed by the DRI officers regarding the purpose of visit and also showed him the search warrant, which was signed by him and after following the due procedure, the officers entered the premises, which was found to be comprised of Ground Floor only in the form of a big hall. Shivam Singh informed that he had taken the said godown on rent from one Jiya Lal, who lives in Dhandari Kalan, Ludhiana. Inside the said premises, three more persons were found, who introduced themselves as Mintu Singh son of Gopal Singh, Arwinder Singh Sidhu son of Jaswinder Singh and Manoj son of Rajesh Kumar Sharma. During the search, 52 brown colour packets containing Ganja (Cannabis) were found and each packet weighed approximately 08 kgs. Shivam Singh admitted that each packet contained Ganja (Cannabis) and he had procured the same from Berhampur, Odisha.