Navjot Singh v. State of Haryana

The FIR of this case came into being at the instance of ‘SI Prem Singh’ who had reported that on 25.08.2025 at about 08:00 A.M. when he was leading a team of police officials he received a tip-off, from a reliable source, ‘Bachittar Singh’ and ‘Yadvinder Singh’ were involved in the trading of narcotic substance. As per abovenamed police officer in view of abovementioned information a Fortuner car bearing Registration No.PB11DK-3803 was intercepted, wherein ‘Bachittar Singh’ and VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 2 ‘Yadvinder Singh’ were travelling and on search of the abovementioned vehicle 230.56 kilograms of poppy husk was recovered.

It the case of the prosecution that pursuant abovementioned recovery, requisite formalities with regard to seizure and sealing of contraband, filing of FIR and formal arrest of the accused ‘Bachittar Singh’ and ‘Yadvinder Singh’ were completed and further investigation taken up.

As per prosecution during the course of investigation, the accused ‘Bachittar Singh’ suffered a disclosure statement, wherein he revealed the name of petitioner. Notice of motion.

appears on behalf of respondent-State. Hence service of notice upon the State is hereby dispensed with. The Status Report has already been filed by the learned State Counsel. The same be taken on record. The learned State Counsel has filed custody certificate of the petitioner. The same, too, be taken on record.

Heard. It has been contended by learned counsel for the petitioner that petitioner is already in custody for a period of more than five months and that nothing has been recovered from the possession of petitioner. According to learned counsel for the petitioner, the only evidence against the petitioner is the disclosure statement of co-accused ‘Bachittar Singh’ which is inadmissible in evidence. VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 3

The learned State Counsel controverted abovementioned arguments. According to learned State Counsel in the present case, there is specific and reliable evidence against the petitioner, as on the basis of disclosure statement of ‘Bachittar Singh’, it has been revealed that the supplier of abovementioned contraband was ‘Gopal Singh’ and in the account of ‘Gopal Singh’ a sum of Rs.2,13,000/- was transferred by the petitioner. The learned State Counsel has further contended that the vehicle which was being used for transportation of contraband belong to the petitioner only.

The record has been perused carefully. To deal with given fact-situation, the principles of law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case of ‘Vijay Singh Vs. The State of Haryana’ 2023 SCC OnlineSC 1235 are relevant. In the abovementioned case, the petitioner was not present on the spot at the time of recovery and he was implicated solely on the basis of statement of co- accused. The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the abovementioned case afforded the benefit of bail to the accused.

Similarly, in the case of ‘Surender Kumar Khanna Vs. Intelligence Officer Directorate of Revenue Intelligence’ 2018(8) SCC 271, it has been held by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India that the disclosure statement of co-accused is inadmissible against another accused, as the disclosure statement is not a substantive piece of evidence against other accused.

Similar principle has been laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case of ‘Preet Kamal Vs. State of Punjab’, 2018(4) VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 4 RCR (Criminal) 938, wherein it has been held that the disclosure statement of an accused can be used only against the person making the same, and not against the co-accused.

In ‘Tofan Singh Vs. State of Tamil Nadu’, 2021(4) SCC 1 also, it has been observed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India that confessional statement of accused recorded under Section 67 of NDPS Act cannot be admitted in evidence, as a confession.

If the facts and circumstances of the present case are analyzed in the light of above-mentioned principles of law, it transpires that:- VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 5

In the present case, the principles of law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case of “Dataram versus State of Uttar Pradesh and another”, 2018(2) R.C.R. (Criminal) 131, are relevant, wherein it has been observed that

a fundamental postulate of criminal jurisprudence is the presumption of innocence, meaning thereby that a person is believed to be innocent until found guilty. However, there are instances in our criminal law where a reverse onus has been placed on an accused with regard to some specific offences but that is another matter and does not detract from the fundamental postulate in respect of other offences. Yet another important facet of our criminal jurisprudence is that the grant of bail is the general rule and putting a person in jail or in a prison or in a correction home (whichever expression one may wish to use) is an exception. Unfortunately, some of these basic principles appear to have been lost sight of with the result that more and more persons are being incarcerated and for longer periods. This does not do any good to our VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 6 criminal jurisprudence or to our society. There is no doubt that the grant or denial of bail is entirely the discretion of the judge considering a case but even so, the exercise of judicial discretion has been circumscribed by a large number of decisions rendered by this Court and by every High Court in the country. Yet, occasionally there is a necessity to introspect whether denying bail to an accused person is the right thing to do on the facts and in the circumstances of a case

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The principles laid down by the Hon’ble the Supreme Court of India in the case of ‘Satender Kumar Antil Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation and Another’, (2022) 10 SCC 51, are also relevant in this case. In the abovementioned case, it has been observed that

the rate of conviction in criminal cases in India is abysmally low. It appears to us that this factor weighs on the mind of the Court while deciding the bail applications in a negative sense. Courts tend to think that the possibility of a conviction being nearer to rarity, bail applications will have to be decided strictly, contrary to legal principles. We cannot mix up consideration of a bail application, which is not punitive in nature with that of a possible adjudication by way of trial. On the contrary, an ultimate acquittal with continued custody would be a case of grave injustice

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Recently, in the case of ‘Tapas Kumar Palit Vs. State of Chhattisgarh’, 2025 SCC Online SC 322, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has observed that

if an accused is to get a final verdict after incarceration of six to seven years in jail as an undertrial prisoner, then, definitely, it could be said that his right to have a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution has been infringed

. It has also been observed by the VINOD KUMAR ARYA 2026.05.12 20:09 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-11695-2026 (O&M) 7 Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the abovementioned case that

delays are bad for the accused and extremely bad for the victims, for Indian society and for the credibility of our justice system, which is valued. Judges are the masters of their Courtrooms and the Criminal Procedure Code provides many tools for the Judges to use in order to ensure that cases proceed efficiently

.

To elucidate further, this Court is conscious of the basic and fundamental principle of law that right to speedy trial is a part of reasonable, fair and just procedure enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. This constitutional right cannot be denied to the accused as mandated by Hon’ble Apex court in “Balwinder Singh versus State of Punjab and Another”, 2024 SCC Online SC 4354.

If the cumulative effect of all the abovementioned factors, involved in the instant case, is taken into consideration, it leads to a conclusion that the petitioner is entitled for the benefit of bail, and that the present petition deserves to be allowed.