SC grants bail to man arrested by Gujarat Narcotics Bureau in 2017

The Supreme Court has granted bail to one of the accused, S Tiwari, a resident of Kolkata, who was arrested in 2017 by the Gujarat Narcotics Bureau near Porbandar sea in Gujarat for allegedly possessing 1,445 kilograms of banned narcotic substances.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice L Nageshwar Rao and also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta, recently granted bail to Tiwari.

"We direct that the appellant, S Tiwari, be released on bail upon furnishing a bail bond in the sum of Rs 10 lakhs, with two sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Special Judge, NDPS, Court at Porbandar," the top court said in its order.

"The appellant (Tiwari), shall deposit his passport, if any, with the court. He shall either stay in Porbandar or Kolkata. He shall not go to any other place. He shall give his cellphone number to the police authorities and shall not change his cellphone number without permission of the trial court," the apex court said while granting bail to the accused.It also said that Tiwari "shall not in any manner hamper or try to interfere in the investigation". Once the trial begins, Tiwari shall not in any manner try to delay the trial, the court observed.

The order stated that if the appellant violates any of these terms, the NCB shall be entitled to straight away apply to the Special Judge for cancellation of his bail.

It is alleged that Tiwari, when questioned, admitted that he along with others were allegedly carrying contraband substance in the nature of narcotics in a ship in Porbandar sea.

Tiwari was arrested by the NCB of Gujarat in July 2017, for allegedly possessing approximately 1,445 kilograms of narcotic substance in 1,526 packets.