HC rejects bail plea of 'drug supplier' over guilt suspicion

Reasonable grounds not available to believe that accused is not guilty of said offences, says high court

- Urvi Mahajani

The Bombay High Court has rejected the bail plea of Arbaz Aslam Shaikh, arrested with 100 grams of mephedrone (MD), holding that the stringent conditions under Section 37 of the NDPS Act were not fulfilled.

Shaikh approached the HC seeking bail in a case registered by the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Azad Maidan Unit, under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He has been in custody since November 3, 2023. On November 2, 2023, ANC officials on patrol noticed a man behaving suspiciously near the Jogeshwari Police Station bus stop. When questioned, he tried to flee on a two-wheeler. The police intercepted him and recovered 100g MD. He identified himself as Hardik Chandubhai Solanki.