2025:HHC:43733 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA. Cr. MP (M) No. :  2887 of 2025 Decided on    : 16.12.2025 Kartik …Applicant Versus State of Himachal Pradesh …Respondent Coram The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh,  Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the applicant      :  Ms. Kiran Dhiman, Advocate. For the respondent   : Mr. Tejasvi Sharma, Mr. Mohinder Zharaick, Mr. H.S. Rawat, Additional  Advocates  General, with Mr. Rohit Sharma, Deputy Advocate General. Virender Singh, Judge Applicant­Kartik   has   filed   the   present application, under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha   Sanhita,   2023   (hereinafter   referred   to   as   the 'BNSS'), with a prayer to release him on bail, during the pendency of trial, in case arising out of  FIR No. 243 of 2025, dated 08.11.2025, registered with Police Station 1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes. 2 2025:HHC:43733 Sundernagar, District Mandi, H.P., under Sections 20, 25 and   29   of   the   Narcotic   Drugs   and   Psychotropic Substances  Act, (hereinafter referred to as the ‘ND&PS Act’). 2. According   to   the   applicant,   he   is   innocent person and has falsely been implicated, by the police, in the present case. According to him, he has no connection, whatsoever,   with   the   offences,   for   which,   he   has   been named as accused, as well as, arrested, by the police. 3. As per the applicant, the alleged recovery does not fall within the definition of commercial quantity, as such, rigors of Section 37 of ND&PS Act are not applicable. Investigation is also stated to be complete, in this case. 4. The   applicant   has   tried   his   luck   by   moving similar   application   before   learned   Special   Judge, Sundernagar,   District   Mandi,   H.P.,   however,   his application   has   been   dismissed   vide   order   dated 04.12.2025. 5. On   the   basis   of   the   above   facts,   Ms. Kiran Dhiman, learned counsel appearing for the applicant has given   certain   undertakings,   to   which,   the   applicant   is 3 2025:HHC:43733 ready to abide by, in case, the applicant is ordered to be released on bail, during the pendency of the trial. 6. When   put   to   notice,   the   police   has   filed   the status report, disclosing therein, that on 08.11.2025, ASI Daulat Ram I.O., along with other police officials, was on patrolling duty, duty to detect the information relating to crime,   picketing   and   traffic   checking. When   they   were present at Pung Fourlane, they had laid naka and were checking   the   vehicles   moving   from   Sundernagar   to Bilaspur side. 6.1 Meanwhile, at about 11:20 am, they noticed a car bearing No. HP03­3987, white colour, being driven by its   driver   coming   from   Sundernagar   side,   which   was signaled to stop. Consequently, the driver stopped the car, on the left side of the road. Thereafter, I.O. checked the car   and   beside   the   driver,   another   person   was   found travelling in the car. Thereafter, ASI has directed the driver to show the requisite documents, upon which, the person sitting by the side of the driver, requested that marriage function is in the house and as such, requested them to permit to go from there. 4 2025:HHC:43733 6.2 Thereafter, both the said persons were found to be perplexed, upon which, I.O. develop the suspicion that the vehicle might be having some stolen article in it. As such, he thought it proper to search the vehicle. Efforts were made to associate the independent witnesses, but, the drivers of the vehicles, plying on the road, had expressed their personal difficulty to be the independent witnesses. After some time, a passerby namely Gopal, was associated in the investigation of the case, as independent witness and in the presence of independent witness, the name and address of the occupants of the car bearing  No. HP03­ 3987, were inquired. On inquiry, the driver disclosed his name as Kartik son of Sh. Sita Ram (applicant), resident of Village   Malog,   Post   Office   Devthi,   Tehsil   Sadar,   District Solan,   H.P.   and   the   person   sitting   beside   the   driver, disclosed his name as Rohit Verma. 6.3 Thereafter,   the   car   was   searched. On   the backside   of   the   driver   seat,   from   the   pocket,   a   green coloured carry bag was found. When the knot of the carry bag was untied, the same was found containing another transparent   polythene   envelope   containing   ball   shaped 5 2025:HHC:43733 substances. On smelling and experience, as well as, on the disclosure   of  Kartik  and  Rohit,  the  said  substance  was found to be charas/cannabis. On weighment, the said cannabis   was   found   to   be   249   grams. Other   codal formalities were completed. 6.4 The contraband, along with vehicle, was taken into   possession. The   rukka   was   prepared,   which   was submitted to the Police Station Sundernagar, upon which, FIR   in   question,   has   been   registered. Thereafter,   the accused persons were arrested. Thereafter, the contraband was produced before the Court of learned Additional Chief Judicial   Magistrate,   Court   No.   1,   Sundernagar,   District Mandi,   H.P.,   where   the   inventory   proceedings   were   got conducted. The contraband was sent to SFSL Junga, from where, positive report has been received. 6.5 It is the further case of the police that as per the   report  of  MHC  Police   Station   Sadar,  District  Solan, H.P., except the present case, no other case was found to be registered against him. The case is stated to be under investigation. 6 2025:HHC:43733 7. On the basis of above facts, a prayer has been made to dismiss the application. 8. Heard. 9. Considering the fact that the contraband, which is stated to be recovered in the present case, does not fall, within the definition of the ‘commercial quantity’, as such, rigors of Section 37 of ND&PS Act are not applicable, in the present case. 10. The status report is totally silent about the fact as to how the custodial interrogation of the applicant is required. As   per   status   report,   applicant   is   in   judicial custody. This fact is sufficient to  demonstrate,  at this stage, that custodial interrogation of the applicant is no longer required by the police. As such, no fruitful purpose would   be   served   by   keeping   the   applicant   in   judicial custody. 11. Moreover, the chances of commencement and conclusion of trial against the applicant, in near future, are not   so   bright. As   such,   he   cannot   be   kept   in   judicial custody, that too, for the indefinite period. 7 2025:HHC:43733 12. The applicant is aged about 25 years and he is having   no   criminal   antecedents. The   presumption   of innocence is still available to the applicant, as the bail application   cannot   be   rejected   merely   as   a   matter   of punishment,   since,   pre­trial   punishment   is   prohibited under the law. 13. Furthermore, the applicant is also entitled for grant of bail on the basis of parity, as, his co­accused, namely Rohit Verma, has already been released on bail, by this   Court,   vide   order   dated   26.11.2025,   passed   in Cr.MP(M)   No.   2741   of   2025,  titled   as  ‘Rohit  Verma  Vs. State of Himachal Pradesh’. 14. Considering all these facts, this Court is of the view that the bail application is liable to be allowed and is accordingly allowed. 15. Consequently,   the   applicant   is   ordered   to   be released, on bail, in case  FIR No. 243 of 2025, dated 08.11.2025, registered with Police Station Sundernagar, District Mandi, H.P., under Sections 20, 25 and 29 of the ND&PS Act, on his furnishing personal bonds in the 8 2025:HHC:43733 sum of Rs.50,000/­, with one surety of the like amount, to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court. 16. This   order,   however,   shall   be   subject   to   the following conditions:­ “a) The applicant shall make himself available for the purpose of investigation, if so required and regularly attend the trial Court on each and every date of hearing and if prevented by any reason to do so, seek exemption from appearance by filing the appropriate application; b)   The   applicant   shall   not   tamper   with   the prosecution evidence nor hamper the investigation of the case in any  manner whatsoever; c) The applicant shall not make any inducement, threat or promises to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing such facts to the Court or the Police Officer, and d) The applicant shall not leave the territory of India without the prior permission of the Court.” 17. Any   of   the   observations,   made   hereinabove, shall not be taken as an expression of opinion, on the merits of the case,  as these observations, are confined, only, to the disposal of the present bail application. 18. It is made clear that the respondent­State is at liberty to move an appropriate application, in case, any of the bail conditions, is found to be violated by the applicant. 9 2025:HHC:43733 19. The Registry is directed to forward a soft copy of the bail order to the Superintendent of Jail, District Jail Mandi,   District   Mandi,   H.P.,   through   e­mail,   with   a direction to enter the date of grant of bail in the e­prison software. 20. In case, the applicant is not released within a period of seven days from the date of grant of bail, the Superintendent of Jail, District Jail Mandi, District Mandi, H.P., is directed to inform this fact to the Secretary, DLSA, Mandi,   H.P.   The   Superintendent   of   Jail,  District   Jail Mandi, District Mandi, H.P., is further directed that if the applicant fails to furnish the bail bonds, as per the order passed by this Court, within a period of one month from today, then, the said fact be submitted to this Court. ( Virender Singh ) Judge 16th December, 2025 (Pramod Kumar) RAJNI Digitally signed by RAJNI Date: 2025.12.16 15:02:38 +0530