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Judgment
Daya Chaudhary, J
This petition has been filed under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for grant of regular bail to petitioner, namely, Maninder Singh alias Munshi during pendency of the trial in case FIR No.292 dated 31.07.2014 registered under Sections 22/61/85 of the NDPS Act at Police Station A-Division, District Amritsar.
Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has falsely been implicated in the case, whereas, he was not involved. He was arrested on 05.11.2016 and since then, he is in custody. Learned counsel also submits that the trial is not likely to be concluded because of COVID-19 pandemic. The petitioner is having custody of approximately 04 years and 03 months and in other cases, he is on bail.
Learned State counsel has not disputed the custody period but he has opposed the bail. It has also not been disputed by learned State counsel that the petitioner is on bail in other cases.
Without saying anything on the merits of the case and keeping in view the custody, which is approximately 04 years 02 months and 24 days and in other cases, he is on bail; the trial may take some time because of the present situation and no useful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody, the present petition is allowed and petitioner, namely, Maninder Singh alias Munshi is directed to be released on regular bail on his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate, Amritsar.
However, it is made clear that in case, the petitioner is found to be involved in any other case of similar nature, the State is at liberty to move an application for cancellation of his bail.