P a g e 1 | 7 Item No. 8 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL CRL. A. No. 6 of 2024 National Investigation Agency, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, represented by the Chief Investigation Officer (CIO), National Investigation Agency, Branch Office, Imphal, Manipur, Type VI, Quarter G – 1, Lamphel Officer Colony, Lamphelpat, P.O. & P.S. Lamphel, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795004. … Appellant - Versus - Naorem Premkanta Singh & Van Dam, aged about 37 years, S/o Naorem Ibomcha Singh, a resident of Kakching Irum Mapal, P.O. & P.S. Kakching, District Kakching, Manipur. … Respondent B E F O R E HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE A. GUNESHWAR SHARMA For the appellant : Mr. BR Sharma, CGSC along with Mr. Qulu, Advocate For the respondent : Ms. N. Savitri, Advocate along with Mr. N. Leo, Advocate Date of hearing & order : 04.05.2026 KHOIROM BIPINCHAN DRA SINGH Digitally signed by KHOIROM BIPINCHANDRA SINGH Date: 2026.05.05 09:55:34 +05'30' P a g e 2 | 7 O R D E R [M. Sundar, CJ] [1] In the captioned appeal, Mr. BR Sharma, learned Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) for appellant is before this Court on the Video Conferencing (VC) platform and his colleague Mr. Qulu, learned counsel is before this Court (Physical Court). [2] On the side of lone respondent, Ms. N. Savitri, learned counsel along with her colleague Mr. N. Leo, learned counsel is before this Court (Physical Court). [3] Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier proceedings made in the previous listing on 20.04.2026 which reads as follows: ‘20.04.2026 Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier proceedings made in the previous listing on 18.02.2026 which reads as follows: ’18.02.2026 [1] Matter mentioned at half past ten. [2] Ms. Pamchui, learned counsel representing Mr. BR Sharma, State Counsel for appellant NIA and Mr. Leo N., learned counsel on record for the respondent are before this Court. [3] This Court is informed that the captioned appeal is a statutory appeal under Section 21 of the ‘National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008)’ (‘NIA Act’ for convenience) and that it is directed against a bail order dated 10.08.2023 granted by the trial court. [4] As adjournment is sought, this Court wanted to know if the respondent has complied with bail conditions and as to whether respondent is regular in P a g e 3 | 7 appearing in the hearings before the trial court. Learned counsel representing the State Counsel for NIA very fairly submitted that the respondent has complied with the bail conditions and is regularly appearing in the listings in the trial court in the last 2 ½ (two and half) years. [5] As both sides request for an adjournment citing personal inconvenience, let the matter stand over to 20.04.2026. [6] List on 20.04.2026.’ Today, Mr. Thamchuiyo, learned counsel representing Mr. BR Sharma, learned CGSC (Central Government Standing Counsel) for appellant/NIA and Ms. G. Pushpa, learned counsel representing Ms. Savitri, learned counsel on record for lone respondent are before this Court (Physical Court). Both learned counsel make a joint/common request for adjournment citing inconvenience/difficulties for counsel on both sides. Afore-referred common/joint request is acceded to. List under the same cause list caption i.e., ‘HEARING’ on 04.05.2026. Owing to 18.02.2026 proceedings (extracted and reproduced supra) more particularly paragraph 4 thereat, let learned counsel for appellant/NIA get suitable instructions regarding giving a closure to captioned appeal. List on 04.05.2026.’ [4] Adverting to penultimate paragraph of afore-referred 20.04.2026 proceedings, Mr. BR Sharma, learned CGSC in his usual fairness submitted that a closure can be given to captioned appeal as respondent has complied with bail conditions qua impugned order (to be noted, captioned appeal has been filed by NIA assailing an order of Trial Court granting bail to respondent) and respondent has been P a g e 4 | 7 appearing before Trial Court regularly in the listings for more than 2 (two) and half years since grant of bail vide impugned order. [5] Learned State counsel also with utmost fairness brought to our notice that in a similar scenario, closure was given to a NIA statutory appeal under Section 21 of ‘National Investigation Agency Act, 2008’ (‘NIA Act’ for the sake of convenience) vide order dated 24.03.2026 in Crl. A. No. 16 of 2025 and a copy of the order is placed before this Court and a scanned reproduction of the same is as follows: P a g e 5 | 7 P a g e 6 | 7 [6] Responding to the above, Ms. N. Savitri, learned counsel for lone respondent fairly submitted that a closure can be given to captioned appeal preserving rights of appellant (NIA) as set out in paragraph No. 13 of the afore-referred earlier order dated 24.03.2026 in Crl. A. No. 16 of 2025. [7] In the light of the narrative thus far and very fair approach taken by learned counsel on both sides, with the consent of learned counsel on both sides, this Court deems it appropriate to give a closure to the captioned criminal appeal without embarking upon the legal drill of testing the impugned order on merits albeit preserving all the rights and contentions of the appellant (NIA) as set out in paragraph No. 13 of the afore-referred earlier order dated 24.03.2026 in Crl. A. No. 16 of 2025. In this regard, this Court deems it appropriate to add that if a scenario of cancelation of bail or any other scenario envisaged in paragraph No. 13 or akin to same unfurls, all the rights and contentions of sole respondent also will stand preserved and this will include all contentions of sole respondent in the captioned P a g e 7 | 7 appeal. To put it differently, if the scenario envisaged in paragraph No. 13 of earlier order or any other scenario akin to same unfurls, the Trial Court shall deal with the same on its own merits and in accordance with law untrammeled by instant order and rival contentions in the captioned appeal. [8] Captioned appeal is disposed of/closed in the aforesaid manner affirming the impugned bail order being order dated 10.08.2023 in Cril. Misc. (B) Case No. 83 of 2023 on the file of Special Judge (NIA), Manipur albeit with preservation of rights, liberties qua both sides and observations as set out supra. There shall be no order as to costs. JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE FR/NFR Bipin