Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 30: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has granted bail to Rashpal Singh, who was booked under NDPS Act and Arms Act while asserting that continued detention would serve no meaningful purpose as investigation has already concluded.
Justice Rajesh Sekhri, while pronouncing the judgment in bail application, held that the accused has been in custody since April 8, 2025 and the contraband allegedly recovered from his possession falls under the “intermediate quantity” category, which does not attract the rigour of Section 37 of the NDPS Act that applies to commercial quantities.
As per the prosecution, the case stems from an incident dated April 8, 2025, when Police Station Satwari received information about suspicious criminal activity in Raina Colony. Upon reaching the site, a police team encountered a Hyundai Creta (JK02DC-9666) with three occupants. When signaled to stop, the driver allegedly reversed the vehicle with an intention to harm the police. The car reportedly hit a police vehicle and ran over ASI Swaran Singh and HC Sanjeev Singh, causing serious injuries. In retaliation, a police officer fired at the car’s tyre, leading to the suspects’ arrest.
During the search, a sharp-edged weapon was recovered from Rashpal Singh and about 15.74 grams of heroin-like substance was found in the car’s dashboard. An FIR was registered under various sections of the NDPS Act and Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code.
After hearing Senior Advocate K S Johal with Advocate Karman Singh Johal for the applicant Rashpal Singh and DyAG Pawan Dev Singh for the UT of J&K, Justice Sekhri observed that although the accused has prior FIRs against him, he has already secured bail in all those cases and the related detention order had been quashed. The High Court also noted that the charge-sheet has been filed, the accused has spent over three and a half months in jail, and all prosecution witnesses are police officials.
“Since investigation has already culminated in a charge-sheet no fruitful purpose shall be served with continued incarceration of the applicant,” the High Court observed.
Accordingly, Rashpal Singh was granted bail on furnishing a surety bond of Rs 25,000 to the satisfaction of the trial court and a personal bond of equal amount to the Superintendent of Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, subject to the conditions that he shall not jump bail or tamper with evidence, shall not leave the territorial jurisdiction of J&K without prior permission and shall not threaten or influence prosecution witnesses.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
