Drugs belonged to passenger? Punjab and Haryana High Court grants relief to Rapido driver held with 15k opioid tablets

Justice Subhas Mehla held that no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping the cab driver in custody for any further period. (AI-enhanced image)

“As per the state’s reply, the petitioner was not in contact with the co-accused prior to booking the cab. So, at this stage for disposal of present petition, prima facie, the contraband appears to belong to the customer of the cab (i.e. co-accused), though it remains a moot question to be adjudicated during trial,” the May 4 order read.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court was hearing the bail plea of a Rapido driver, Ram Kumar Pandey, who was arrested in November 2025 with tramadol tablets. Tramadol is an opioid medication used to treat pain in adults.

‘Clean, clear antecedents’

• The petitioner is a cab driver and was operating a cab that had been booked by the co-accused through the ‘Rapido’ app, the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed.
• The court also noted that the co-accused, who was a customer, was apprehended in possession of contraband from the rear seat of the car.
• Noting that the petitioner has been behind bars since November 2025 and has clean and clear antecedents, the court held that no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody for any further period.
• The Punjab and Haryana High Court held that, based on the facts and circumstances of the case, there is merit in the present petition filed by the Rapido driver.

Rapido booking, arrest and case

The case arises from the allegations that on November 19, 2025, two bags were recovered from the back seat of the car, from which 800 and 700 strips of tablets, containing a total of 15,000 tablets, were recovered. The petitioner was the driver of the vehicle and he was travelling in the car along with the co-accused Aman and Mohamad Arshad.

On a specific query posed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court as to whether the petitioner was in contact with the co-accused, it was submitted that during the investigation, it was found that he was not in touch with them before the booking of his cab through the Rapido application.

‘Falsely implicated’

• Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Atul Aggarwal argued that he was falsely implicated in the present case, as it was the co-accused who were apprehended with the contraband in the petitioner’s cab.
• It was further added that no recovery was effected from the petitioner, and he has been in custody for the last five months and 11 days.
• The counsel emphasised that the petitioner has clean and clear antecedents, and the trial of the case will take sufficient time to conclude.
• Deputy advocate general Sandeep Kumar argued before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the recovery of 15,000 tablets of tramadol, was made from the car of the petitioner, which falls under commercial quantity.
• It was further added that the present petitioner was apprehended with the co-accused, who were apprehended with the contraband at that time.