IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.15718 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-94 Year-2025 Thana- Kotwali District- Darbhanga ====================================================== Raushan Kumar Jha S/o Sri Moti Kant Jha R/o Mohalla - Professor Colony Mirzapur Dighi, P.S - Kotwali, District - Darbhanga ... ... Petitioner/s Versus The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Ajay Thakur, Advocate Mr. Purushottam Kumar, Advocate Mr. Shivam Kumar, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Khurshid Anwar, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK KUMAR PANDEY ORAL ORDER 3 16-04-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned APP for the State. 2. The petitioner has prayed for bail in connection with Kotwali P.S. Case No. 94 of 2025 registered for the offence punishable under Sections 21(c) and 22 of the N.D.P.S. Act. 3. The case of the prosecution is that from a tea shop run by the brother of the petitioner, cough syrup containing codeine namely, Onerex altogether 13.3 liter was recovered and certain intoxicating medicines were also recovered. 4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner has submitted that petitioner is innocent and has committed no offence. He has been falsely implicated in this case. Learned counsel has submitted that nothing has been recovered from the possession of this petitioner rather the Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15718 of 2026(3) dt.16-04-2026 2/4 recovery has been made from the tea shop of the brother of the petitioner. He has been framed in this case as he is the brother of one Ranjan. There is no independent witness of the seizure list rather they are police personnel and police has not complied section 105 of BNSS while preparing the seizure list. Moreover, the petitioner is languishing in judicial custody since 08.10.2025. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has further submitted that under Notification No. S.O. 826(E) dated 14.11.1985 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Rules, 1985 that preparations are exempted as manufactured drugs provided the preparations contained the narcotic drugs to the extent permitted in respect of codeine under Entry No. 35. It is stated that codeine and ethyle morphine and their salts including dionine all dilutions and preparations are considered to be manufactured drugs except those which are compounded with one or more other ingredients and containing not more than 100 miligrams of the drugs per doses unit and with a concentration of not more than 2.5 % in undivided preparations and which have been established in therapeutic practice. 6. In this case, Onerex Cough syrup containing Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15718 of 2026(3) dt.16-04-2026 3/4 codeine has been recovered and the concentration of the codeine in this drug is approximately 0.2% which is less than 2.5% as provided in the above notification. 7. So far as the recovery of intoxicating tablets are concerned, nothing has been recovered from the possession of this petitioner and the recovered intoxicating tablets are though more than small quantity but is much less than commercial quantity. 8. Learned APP appearing for the State has vehemently the application for bail and has submitted that in the case of Hira Singh and Anr. V. Union of India and Anr., the Hon’ble Supreme Court has held that entire non-toxic material which is mixed with the contraband will be considered as the contraband and as such, the quantity which has been recovered from the possession of the petitioner is commercial quantity. 9. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that in view of Section 2(d) of the N.D.P.S. Act, the drug itself is not narcotic drug then there is no jurisdictional basis for the case and the Court would not have a reason to go into the question of quantities. The Central Government has power to issue notification time to time. 10. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15718 of 2026(3) dt.16-04-2026 4/4 considering the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail. The above named petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. ten thousand only) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (NDPS Act), Darbhanga in connection with Kotwali P.S. Case No. 94 of 2025. 11. Before parting, it is very strange that the cases where cough syrups containing codeine are recovered, the police is invariably filing cases under N.D.P.S. Act whereas in view of the notification of Central Government (supra) concentration of codeine being less than 2.5 %, the quantity does not come under the ambit of contraband. Cough syrup containing codeine is only a Schedule-H drug for which, the shopkeeper has to maintain register and he must be a licensed one. Such type of cases should be filed under Drugs and Cosmetic Act. It is only the violation of Drugs and Cosmetic Act whereas, police is invariably misusing the procedure. Shubham/- (Ashok Kumar Pandey, J) U T