Himachal HC denies bail to drug peddler

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has refused bail to Sandeep Shah, an alleged member of a heroin trafficking network, stressing that the rising drug menace has escalated into a “national crisis”.

In a detailed order, Justice Sandeep Sharma observed that the scale and impact of narcotics consumption, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, pose a grave threat to public welfare. He noted that given Shah’s criminal history, granting him liberty could endanger society. The court remarked that the state’s youth are increasingly falling victim to drug cartels, adding that parents today worry more about their children being drawn into addiction than about their academic or career achievements.

According to the prosecution, Shah is allegedly linked to a larger smuggling chain spearheaded by co-accused Veer Singh, who is accused of procuring heroin from Delhi through courier services and supplying it in Shimla. Another accused, Santosh Kumar, allegedly assisted Veer Singh in these operations. The police also claim that Prahlad Singh used his mother, Champa Devi’s, bank account to route payments and facilitate consignments of heroin sent from Delhi to Shimla.

The court highlighted that six criminal cases have been registered against Shah so far, five of them under provisions of the NDPS Act. Records indicate his involvement in drug trafficking since 2021. Shah was arrested on April 21, 2025. Considering the seriousness of the allegations, Shah’s past conduct and the continuing threat posed to public order and the state’s youth, the HC concluded that this was not an appropriate case for granting bail.