IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision: 06.07.2026 214 (1) CRM-M-529-2026 SATWINDER SINGH ....Petitioner V/s STATE OF PUNJAB .…Respondent 214 (2) CRM-M-838-2026 NARESH PAL SINGH ....Petitioner V/s STATE OF PUNJAB .…Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIKRAM AGGARWAL Present: Mr. Shubham Goyal, Advocate for the petitioner in both the cases. Mr. Rahul Jindal, A.A.G., Punjab. *** VIKRAM AGGARWAL, J. (ORAL) Prayer in the present petitions preferred under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short the ‘BNSS’) is for the grant of regular bail to the petitioners in case FIR No.116 dated 16.06.2024 registered under Sections 22 of NDPS Act at Police Station Sultanpur Lodhi, District Kapurthala. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioners, inter-alia, submits that 290 tablets which contained 103.53 grams of Alprazolam which is higher than the commercial quantity prescribed for Alprazolam (100 gm) were alleged to have been recovered from the petitioners. He submits that the petitioners are in custody for the last more than one and half years; charges were framed as far back on 17.01.2025 but out of total 9 witnesses, not even a single witness has been examined till today; the antecedents of the petitioners are clean; trial will take a sufficiently long time, therefore, no useful purpose would be MANI KUMAR 2026.07.06 20:32 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-529-2026 and another connected matter -2- served by keeping the petitioner in custody any longer. 3. Per contra, learned State counsel has opposed the bail application, stating that there is one FIR stands registered against the petitioner-Naresh Pal under Section 379 of IPC and the provisions of Mining Act. He however, fairly admits that there is no case under the NDPS Act. 4. I have considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties. 5. The petitioners were allegedly found to be in possession of 103.53 grams of Alprazolam which is marginally higher than the commercial quantity of 100 grams and have been in custody for the last more than one and a half years. Charges were framed as far back on 17.01.2025 and out of a total of 9 witnesses, not even a single witness has been examined. The antecedents of the petitioners are also clean as they are not stated to be involved in any case under the NDPS Act, trial will take a sufficiently long time and, therefore, in the considered opinion of this Court, no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioners in custody any longer. 6. In view of the aforementioned facts and circumstances, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the petitions are allowed. The petitioners are ordered to be released on regular bail on their furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court/Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate. 7. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand disposed of. (VIKRAM AGGARWAL) JUDGE July 06, 2026 Mani Kumar Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No Whether reportable: Yes/No MANI KUMAR 2026.07.06 20:32 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document