[2026:JHHC:5037] IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No.11314 of 2025 ------ Niranjan Singh, aged about 54 years, Son of Late Govind Singh, Resident of village- Hazaridhamna, P.S.- Choparan, P.O.- Gouria Karma, District- Hazaribagh/Jharkhand; at present resident of 31A, Kishori Nagar Bagan Home Pipe Sakchi, P.O.- Sakchi, P.S.- Sakchi, Jamshedpur, District- East Singhbhum/Jharkhand .... .... …. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand .... .... .... Opposite Party ------ CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL KUMAR CHOUDHARY ------ For the Petitioner : Mr. B. M. Tripathi, Sr. Advocate For the State : Ms. Priya Shrestha, Spl.P.P (Through V.C.) ------ Order No.03 Dated- 19-02-2026 Heard the parties. The petitioner has been made accused in connection with N.D.P.S. Case No.01 of 2025 arising out of Kuru P.S. Case No.107 of 2024 registered under Section 20 (B) (ii) (C)/ 22 of the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act. This is the second journey of the petitioner with the prayer for regular bail as earlier the prayer for bail of the petitioner was rejected vide order dated 21.02.2025 passed in B.A. No.1506 of 2025. Learned senior counsel for the petitioner submits that the allegation against the petitioner is that the petitioner was involved in possession and transportation of cannabis in commercial quantity and on search, 22 Kg of cannabis were found loaded in the dickey of bus in which the petitioner was carrying the same. It is submitted that the allegation against the petitioner is false. It is next submitted that the conductor of the bus has turned hostile and has not supported the case of the prosecution. Drawing attention of this Court towards para-13 of the instant bail application, learned senior counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has no criminal antecedent. It is also submitted that two co-accused, with similar allegations, have already been admitted to bail by a co-ordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 11.03.2025 passed in B.A. No.1965 of 2025. It is next submitted that the petitioner has been in custody since 24.10.2024. Hence it is submitted that the petitioner be released on bail. Learned Spl. P.P. appearing for the State vehemently opposes the prayer for bail and submits that the trial of the case is at an advance stage and five out of seven witnesses have already been examined and most of them have supported the case of the prosecution and keeping in view the fact that Cannabis in commercial quantity has been recovered from the petitioner, hence, the rigors of Section 37 of the N.D.P.S. Act, 1985 is attracted in this case and in the absence of any material to suggest that the petitioner is not guilty of the offence alleged and that there is no chance of his being not involved in any offence while on bail and that the petitioner was involved in possession and transportation of Cannabis in commercial quantity, there is every chance of the petitioner absconding and tampering with the evidence if released on bail. It is, therefore, submitted that the petitioner ought not be released on bail at this stage. Considering the serious nature of allegation against the petitioner of being in possession and transportation of Cannabis in commercial quantity and in the absence of any material to suggest that the petitioner is not guilty of the allegations and that there is no chance of his being not committing any offence while on bail as well as his chance of absconding and tampering with the evidence, this Court is of the considered view that this is not a fit case where the above-named petitioner be released on bail. Accordingly, the prayer for bail of the above-named petitioner is rejected at this stage. (Anil Kumar Choudhary, J.) Dated- 19.02.2026-Animesh/