Team Herald
PANJIM: The Additional Sessions Court, Panjim granted bail to three accused Chandan Kumar Sharma, Rohit Sharma, and Imitiyaz Ansari, all natives of Jharkhand who were arrested by the Mapusa police for possessing 10.3 kgs of ganja.
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The trio were arrested during a raid conducted at the parking lot of the New Bus Stand, Mapusa to be delivered to one Vijay Volvoikar of Camurlim, Bardez.
Adv Myron Araujo, who argued the bail applications of the accused, told the Court that the applicants had clean records with no criminal antecedents and that the quantity seized was of “variable” quantity of drugs and as such since the seizure involves “less than commercial quantity” there was no bar in granting bail.
“Admittedly, the applicant is now in judicial custody and is no longer required for the purposes of the investigations. Detaining him any longer in custody would amount to a punishment before he has an opportunity to prove his innocence. No fruitful purpose would be served by his further incarceration other than ensuring his presence during trial, which could otherwise be secured by imposing strict conditions, which ordering his release on bail,” Additional Sessions Judge Bosco Roberts, said.
The Court ordered that the accused be released on furnishing bail of Rs 25,000, with two sureties each of a like amount and on condition that they furnish copy of his identity proof and that of his sureties to the investigating officer (IO), documentary proof of present address as well as that of his sureties, which the IO is directed to verify within seven days, a verified WhatsApp number, to inform the court in case of a change in address, besides other conditions such as not interfering in the investigation, and remain present for investigation as and when called for.
