Bail granted as no evidence found of cannabis sale

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Additional Sessions Judge Mahesh S. Tiwari recently granted bail to Susant Pal and Harekrishna Pal, observing that there was no evidence proving the accused were engaged in cannabis sale and noting lapses in compliance with mandatory provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Under Section 50 of the NDPS Act, it is mandatory for the accused to be personally searched in the presence of a gazetted officer or a magistrate. This provision does not apply to bags, goods, vehicles, or containers, as highlighted by the accused’s lawyer, Dr. Anagha Pedgaonkar.

Case Details: On May 1, 2025, based on a tip-off that the accused were storing cannabis at a house near Bhatya Maruti Temple in Group No. 82, police in Kannad seized the cannabis. During investigation, the officers failed to submit FSL reports and evidence of cannabis sale, and the court noted that the seized material included branches and leaves instead of cannabis buds, which were collectively weighed. Observing that keeping the accused in custody would achieve nothing, the court approved their bail application.