‘Global crisis’: Punjab and Haryana High Court denies bail to man held with 2.7 kg of opium, cites rising drug menace

Justice Sumeet Goel said the debilitating impact of drug trade and drug abuse is an immediate and serious concern for India. (AI-enhanced image)

“The issue of substance abuse has emerged as a global public health crisis in the twenty-first century, affecting every country worldwide, as drug trafficking and addiction have become pervasive,” the court said on May 12, referring to recent Supreme Court observations and the UNODC World Drug Report, which recorded that around 316 million people worldwide used drugs in 2023.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court said offences involving organised drug trafficking cannot be viewed lightly, particularly when the allegations relate to the recovery of commercial quantities of contraband.

‘National, global issue’

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court said the issue of substance abuse has emerged as a global public health crisis in the 21st century, affecting every country worldwide, as drug trafficking and addiction have become pervasive.
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported in its 2025 World Drug Report that, “As at 2023, some 316 million people worldwide had used drugs in the past year, representing an increase over the past decade that outpaces population growth, which indicates a higher prevalence of drug use.”
• In India, there has been a concerning increase in drug abuse among the youth. Substance abuse not only affects individuals, families, and communities but also undermines various aspects of health, including physical, social, political, cultural foundations, and mental well-being.
• According to many news reports, India faces a clear dilemma between tackling the narcotics crisis systematically or sacrificing its most valuable resource, i.e., its young people.
• The ills of drug abuse seem to be shadowing the length and breadth of our country, with the central and state governments fighting against the menace of substance abuse, the Punjab and Haryana High Court noted.

• The debilitating impact of the drug trade and drug abuse is an immediate and serious concern for India.
• As the globe grapples with the menace of escalating Substance Use Disorders (“SUD”) and an ever-accessible drug market, the consequences leave a generational imprint on public health and even national security.
• Article 47 of the Constitution makes it a duty of the state to regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people, and the improvement of public health, is among its primary duties
• The state has a responsibility to address the root causes of this predicament and develop effective intervention strategies to ensure that India’s younger population, which is particularly vulnerable to substance abuse, is protected and saved from such a menace.
• This is particularly because substance abuse is linked to social problems and can contribute to child maltreatment, spousal violence, and even property crime in a family.

Recovery of over 2.7 kg opium

According to the prosecution, 2.706 kg of opium was allegedly recovered from the dashboard of a car in which the petitioner and a co-accused were travelling. The FIR was registered on December 3, 2025.

The petitioner argued before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that he had been in custody since the date of his arrest and that mandatory provisions of the NDPS Act had not been complied with properly during the investigation.

It was further contended that although the challan had already been filed, none of the 26 prosecution witnesses had been examined to date.

Counsel for the petitioner also relied upon the fact that co-accused Sita Ram had already been granted regular bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 13, 2026.

The defence submitted that nothing remained to be recovered from the petitioner, and sought parity with the co-accused.

State opposed bail plea

Opposing the plea, the prosecution argued that the allegations were serious in nature and the petitioner failed to satisfy the stringent conditions imposed under Section 37 of the NDPS Act for the grant of bail in commercial quantity cases.

The state submitted that there was every likelihood of the petitioner absconding or interfering with prosecution evidence if released on bail. It also informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the petitioner was allegedly involved in other criminal cases.

Distinction between petitioner, co-accused

• Justice Goel noted that although co-accused Sita Ram had been granted bail earlier, his role stood on a different footing because he had been implicated primarily based on a disclosure statement.
• In contrast, Govind Singh was allegedly travelling in the vehicle from which the contraband was recovered.
• The high court observed that no exceptional or compelling circumstance had been shown to justify the grant of regular bail.
• It further held that the plea of false implication could not be accepted at this stage merely based on unsupported assertions.
• Holding that the allegations, recovery of commercial quantity contraband, possibility of absconding, and the petitioner’s alleged criminal antecedents weighed against him, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the bail plea.