p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK BLAPL No.2437 of 2026 Ajit Kumar Digal …. Petitioner(s) Mr. Mahes Das, Adv. -versus- State of Odisha …. Opposite Party(s) Mr. Sonak Mishra, ASC CORAM: HON’BLE DR.JUSTICE SANJEEB K PANIGRAHI Order No. 01. ORDER 27.04.2026 F.I.R. No. Dated Police Station Case No. and Courts’ Name Sections P.R. No.393 of 2025- 2026 00.00.0000 Excise, E.I & E.B, Unit-II (SD), Berhampur 2(a)CC Case No.22 of 2025 (N) arising out of S.I. of Excise, E.I & E.B, Unit-II (SD), Berhampur P.R. No.393 of 2025- 2026 pending before the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge- cum-Special Judge, Aska Sections 20(b)(ii)(C) of the N.D.P.S Act 1. This matter is taken up through hybrid arrangement. 2. Heard learned counsel for the Petitioner and learned counsel for the State. 3. The Petitioner being in custody in connection with 2(a)CC Case No.22 of 2025 (N) arising out of S.I. of Digitally Signed Signed by: AYASKANTA JENA Designation: Personal Assistant Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa Date: 30-Apr-2026 16:30:17 Signature Not Verified p. 2 Excise, E.I & E.B, Unit-II (SD), Berhampur P.R. No.393 of 2025-2026 pending before the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Aska registered for the alleged commission of offences under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C) of the N.D.P.S Act, has filed this application for his release on bail. 4. The brief fact of the case is that on 14.09.2025, during course of patrolling duty the Excise personnel detained the car driven by the Petitioner on suspicion. On search, they recovered 50 kilograms of contraband Ganja from the said car. Accordingly, the Petitioner was taken into custody on completion of all the formalities. The Petitioner has been languishing in custody since 14.09.2025. 5. Learned counsel for the Petitioner contends that the Petitioner was only the driver of the said car. He further contends that another person named Dushasan Mallick was also travelling through the said car. The above noted contraband Ganja alleged to have been seized from the said car does not belong to the present Petitioner. He, accordingly, prays for permitting the Petitioner to be released on bail. 6. Learned counsel for the State vehemently opposes the prayer for bail of the present Petitioner. He further submits that such type of offences is not tolerable in a Digitally Signed Signed by: AYASKANTA JENA Designation: Personal Assistant Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa Date: 30-Apr-2026 16:30:17 Signature Not Verified p. 3 law abiding society. He, accordingly, prays for dismissal of this BLAPL. 7. Considering the submissions made on behalf of both the parties, this Court without going into the merits of the case, directs the court in seisin over the matter to release the present Petitioner on bail in the aforesaid case on some stringent terms and conditions with further conditions that: i. the Petitioner shall appear before the concerned local Police Station on every alternate Sunday between 10.00A.M. to 12.00P.M. till conclusion of the trial; ii. the Petitioner shall appear before the learned Court in seisin over the matter on each date of posting of the case; iii. the Petitioner shall not indulge himself in any criminal activities in future; iv. the Petitioner shall not tamper the evidence of the prosecution witnesses in any manner; v. the Petitioner shall not threaten the informant or his family members in any manner; 8. Violation of any of the above conditions shall entail cancellation of the bail. 9. This BLAPL is, accordingly, disposed of. (Dr. Sanjeeb K Panigrahi) Judge Ayaskanta Designation: Personal Assistant