Wife’s surgery no ground for bail, says Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has dismissed the interim bail application of Amritpal Singh, an accused in a 2022 heroin smuggling case involving the seizure of 103 kg of contraband at the Attari border.

He had sought the relief on the grounds that his wife, a college professor, was scheduled to undergo a gallbladder surgery and needed his support.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja turned down the plea after hearing arguments from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which opposed Singh’s application.

The NIA, represented by advocate Shilpa Singh, told the court that the family was financially stable and that other members could take care of his wife, who is a faculty member at Guru Arjan Dev College.

Amritpal Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab, was arrested on December 12, 2023, at the Amritsar airport while allegedly trying to flee to Dubai.

The bail application stated that Singh’s wife had been advised to undergo a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and that he needed to arrange funds and care for her and their two minor children. However, this argument failed to move the court.

The NIA countered the claim by pointing out that Singh’s wife was gainfully employed and the household was not financially dependent on him. The agency also reminded the court that the trial against the accused was set to begin shortly before the Special NIA Court in Delhi.

Singh is among the several others facing prosecution in the heroin smuggling case. Another accused, Vipin Mitta, was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on May 30, 2023. However, the court found no exceptional circumstances in Singh’s case that warranted a similar relief.