Drugs cases: Punjab govt gets shot in arm as SC stays bail of accused

Tribune News Services

Chandigarh, July 18

The Capt Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Government on Wednesday successfully secured from the Supreme Court a stay on the bail granted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the accused in drugs cases, thus paving the way for further action against them, including their rearrest if needed.

Acting on a plea by the state government, the Supreme Court issued notice and granted stay of judgment on a batch of 19 special leave petitions (SLP) filed by the state of Punjab.

The SLPs related to grant of bail by the high court to the accused in drugs cases, on the legal ground that their trial should have been conducted by special court under the Drugs and Cosmetic Acts and not under the NDPS Act.

Taking cognisance of the weakening of the prosecution case as a result of the grant of bail to such accused, the chief minister had asked the advocate general to challenge the high court orders before the apex court.

Prima-facie accepting the challenge put up by the state of Punjab, the Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice RV Ramana has issued notices and stay in all these matters, thereby effectively cancelling the bail of all the accused.

The Supreme Court orders have been communicated by Advocate General Atul Nanda to the chief secretary and the director general of police, with the request to ensure implementation of such interim orders, leaving it to the authorities to rearrest, where found necessary, such accused who were previously on bail.

The stay order comes as a shot in the arm for the state government in dealing with drug related offences as now the technical plea of jurisdiction/court which is holding the trial is no longer a ground for bail for such accused.