CRM-M/49386/2026 of TARUN BATRA Vs STATE OF PUNJAB on 10 September 2026

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::1:: IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

CRM-M-49386-2026 Date of Decision:10.09.2025 Uploaded on: 11.09.2025 TARUN BATRA ... Petitioner Versus STATE OF PUNJAB ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASJIT SINGH BEDI Present: Mr. D.S. Sobti, Advocate Mr. Ibaadat Bains, Advocate Mr. Bhavesh Puri, Advocate and Mr. Sultan Sangha, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. M.S. Toor, Asstt. A.G., Punjab. **** JASJIT SINGH BEDI, J. The prayer in this 4th petition under Section 483 BNSS, 2023 is for the grant of regular bail in case bearing FIR No.51 dated 18.05.2021 registered under Sections 8, 21, 22, 27-A, 29 of NDPS Act and Sections 420, 120-B, 468, 471 IPC at Police Station Mattewal, District Amritsar Rural.

2. The present FIR came to be registered at the instance of PHG Lovepreet Singh and the same reads as under:- "Head Munshi, Police Station Mattewal. Today I/ASI along with S.I. Kewal Singh 1397, ASI Harjinder Singh 1356, ASI Lakha Singh 1361, PHG Lovepreet Singh 3069 on a Government vehicle Number PB-02-BS-9394, whose Driver is CT. Desbir Singh 1853, taking along the Laptop Printer, were present at BhoyeAdda regarding patrolling and barricading, when ASI Rashminder Singh Number 30/ASR-R, Incharge: Chowki, Tahli Sahib informed JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::2:: myself S.I./S.H.O. over phone that today I along with LR/ASI Rajwant Singh 1327 Amritsar Rural, ASI Avtar Singh 912, ASI Sawinder Singh on a private vehicle (Card) were going from Tahli Sahib to Amritsar Side for some Government work, when the Police Party reached Fatehgarh Churian Road, BalKalan, then special Informer informed me A.S.I. that Sameer Kumar son of Akshay Kumar, resident of Street No. 1, Ward Number 16, Majitha Road, Amritsar and Gurmukh Singh son of Joga Singh, resident of Mallu Nangal, Police Station: Rajasansi, In a vehicle ALTO K-10 bearing number PB02-CX-9948, White coloured and Suraj Kumar son of Akshay Kumar, resident of Street No. 1, Ward Number 16, Majitha Road, Amritsar riding on a Yamah FZ Motorcycle, bearing Number PB-02-CA-6160, by taking along the intoxicating tablets, together are going from Amritsar to Fatehgarh Churian side for supplying the same. The aforesaid information is true, reliable and tangible, which comes in the purview of Section 22- 61- 85 N.D.P.S. Act, on which after preparing the 'Rukka/ Inscription, the same is being sent to the Police Station by hand through PHG Lovepreet Singh 3069 for registration of a case. After registering the case, the case number be Intimated. Control Room be informed through Wireless. After Issuing the Special Reports, the same be submitted to Illaqa Magistrate Sahib and Officers. Myself S.I./S.H.O. along with the companion employees am proceeding at the spot of for recovery. Sd/- Lovepreet Singh, S.I., Station House Officer, Police Station: Mattewal, dated 18.05.2021, Today in the area of Bhoye Adda area at 04.15 p.m.”

3. After sending the aforesaid Ruqa for the registration of an FIR, S.I Lovepreet Singh conducted a Nakabandhi at the main road near the village Bal Kalan, Amritsar and apprehended Sameer Kumar @ Pardhan (granted bail vide order dated 25.05.2023 Annexure P-11), Gurmukh Singh (granted bail vide order dated 27.07.2023 Annexure P-10) and Suraj Kumar (granted bail vide order dated 25.05.2022 Annexure P-12) while travelling on a Maruti Alto K-10 car PB02-CX-9948 and Yamaha FZ motorcycle No. PB02- JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::3:: CA-6160 respectively with the help of the Police party. During the search of the aforesaid Maruti Alto K-10 car PB02-CX-9948, a total of 49,500/- Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets- IP Clocidol-100 SR i.e., 99 boxes containing 10 strips each having 50 tablets in each strip having batch Nos. UFT-042 and UFT-043, were recovered from a cardboard box kept at the rear seat of the car. During the personal search of the co-accused Suraj Kumar, a total of 500/- Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets-IP Clocidol-100 SR i.e., 10 strips each having 50 tablets in each strip, were recovered from him, which were concealed by him in a white cloth (parna) wrapped around his waist. The aforesaid searches were conducted by S.I Lovepreet Singh and recoveries were effected in the presence of the then Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sub-division Majitha, Amritsar (Rural) as per the choice of the aforesaid co- accused persons after issuing them Notices under section 50 of the NDPS Act. The aforesaid accused could not produce any license, document or authorization relating to the purchase and possession of the aforesaid recovered psychotropic tablets, which were taken into Police possession in accordance with the prescribed procedures and the aforesaid three co-accused were arrested by the investigating officer.

4. During their custodial interrogation, Sameer Kumar, Gurmukh Singh and Suraj Kumar suffered separate disclosure statements dated 18.05.2021 disclosing therein that they were involved in illicit sale of intoxicant tablets by purchasing the same from the co- accused Manu Chauhan [granted bail vide order dated 25.11.2021 Annexure P-17] (actual name Rahul Chauhan @ Manu) and used to share profits with Manu Chauhan. On the basis of the aforesaid disclosure statements, Rahul Chauhan JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::4:: @ Manu was nominated as co-accused and section 29 NDPS Act was added in the case vide GD No. 24 dated 18.05.2021. He was also arrested on 18.05.2021.

5. During his further custodial interrogation, Sameer Kumar suffered an another disclosure statement dated 22.05.2021, disclosing therein that a friend of co-accused Rahul Chauhan @ Manu namely Manish Dua @ Prince, was also involved with them in the illicit procurement and sale of intoxicant tablets, who was nominated as co-accused in case vide G.D No. 11 dated 22.05.2021 on the basis of the aforesaid disclosure statement.

6. During the course of investigation, it was found that 50,000 psychotropic tablets recovered from Sameer Kumar, Gurmukh Singh and Suraj Kumar were manufactured by Unique Formulations situated at Main Road, Devi Nagar, Paonta Sahib, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh.

7. On 27.05.2021, the investigating officer along with Police party accompanied by two Drugs Inspectors from Amritsar visited the premises of the Unique Formulations, Paonta Sahib and obtained the required record relating to the manufacturing and sale of 50,000 Psychotropic tablets of the batch Nos. UFT-042 and UFT-043, recovered from co-accused Sameer Kumar, Gurmukh Singh and Suraj Kumar from its owner cum Manager Munish Mohan (granted bail vide order dated 02.12.2021 Annexure P-15) in the presence of the circle Drug Inspector. During the scrutiny of the aforesaid record, it was found that the aforesaid 50,000 psychotropic tablets having batch Nos. UFT-042 and UFT-043 were manufactured in the aforesaid factory i.e., Unique Formulations, in the name of P B Pharmaceuticals, Raj Tower, 3rd Floor, Hauzkhas, New Delhi-110016 without any written JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::5:: order/authorization and thereafter, the same were sold to M/s Mansi Medicos, Shop No.1, DDA Market, Ghandoli Complex, Mayur Vihar, Phase-3, East Delhi owned by co-accused Prem Kumar Jha (granted bail vide order dated 14.12.2021 Annexure P-19) through co-accused Ranu Bhargav. During the inspection of the aforesaid factory by the Circle Drug Inspector, Paonta Sahib, serious irregularities and flagrant violation of the rules were found. During the search of the premises of the aforesaid Unique Formulations, Paonta Sahib, a total of 30 lakh 61 thousand 647 psychotropic tablets/capsules kept concealed in the different rooms without proper documentation/record were recovered by the investigating officer, which were taken into Police possession vide recovery memo dated 27.05.2021 in the presence of two Drug Inspector from Amritsar i.e., Amarpal Singh Malhi and Sukhdeep Singh, and Ms. Bhumika, Circle Drug Inspector, Paonta Sahib and co- accused Munish Mohan was arrested in the case.

8. The petitioner-Tarun Batra along with Chetan Parmar and Ranu Bhargav were nominated as co-accused and sections 420, 468, 471 & 120-B IPC R/w section 29 NDPS Act were added in the case vide G.D No. 13 dated 28.05.2021 on the basis of the disclosure statement dated 28.05.2021 suffered by co-accused Munish Mohan during his custodial interrogation, who disclosed therein that he along with the petitioner and co-accused Chetan Parmar had established the factory with the name of Unique Formulations in June 2020 for manufacturing of sanitizers and co-accused Chetan Parmar had procured the drugs manufacturing license from the office of Drug Controller by using his political links. The petitioner and co-accused Chetan Parmar had also financed the installation of the machinery in the aforesaid factory. He JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::6:: further disclosed that the petitioner along with his friend Ashish Sardana @ Vivek used to regularly visit the factory premises and he along with the petitioner, Chetan Parmar and Ashish Sardana @ Vivek had sent a consignment of 08 lakh Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets in two parts of 04 lakh tablets each on 01.05.2021 and 11.05.2021 including the recovered Psychotropic tablets i.e., Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets-IP Clocidol-100 SR having batch Nos. UFT-042 and UFT-043, to M/s Mansi Medicos, Shop No.1, DDA Market, Ghandoli Complex, Mayur Vihar, Phase-3, East Delhi on the basis of the order given by co-accused Ranu Bhargav and the bilty of the aforesaid consignment was booked in the name of Prem Kumar Jha, Proprietor of M/s Mansi Medicos. He further disclosed that Ranu Bhargav had transferred Rs. 4 lakh for the purchase of the aforesaid consignments in the account No. 11391132 000348 of Punjab National Bank, Branch Paonta Sahib of Unique Formulations, which were withdrawn by him and thereafter, handed over to the petitioner and co-accused Chetan Parmar. He further disclosed that land and building of the factory was owned by co- accused Chetan Parmar and a bogus rent agreement was prepared in the name of Unique Formulations and he was paid Rs. 40,000/- per month as salary being a Manager of the factory.

9. During the course of the investigation, it has been found that the petitioner and co-accused Chetan Parmer were the actual owners of Unique Formulations, who had employed co-accused Manish Mohan as a manager on the salary of Rs. 40,000/- per month and the drugs manufacturing license was procured by co-accused Chetan Parmer in the name of Manish Mohan. The co-accused Ranu Bhargav was working as agent for them, who used to JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::7:: procure orders for the supply of Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets-IP manufactured at the factory of Unique Formulations by Manish Mohan and the consignment of the manufactured drugs were sent in the name of fake firms without any documentation/or fake documentation. During the investigation, it has been found that petitioner and co-accused Chetan Parmer had provided the funds/money for the establishing and operating the factory under the name of Unique Formulations. As per the record found during the course of investigation, the petitioner had transferred Rs. 20,79,356/- in the bank account of the Unique Formulations and an another amount of Rs. 3,28,907/- was transferred by him from the bank account of Apple Field International Company in the bank account of Unique Formulations. Co- accused Chetan Parmar had transferred Rs. 23,70,000/- in the bank account of Unique Formulations and his wife Vandana Parmar had transferred Rs. 2,40,000/- from her bank account in the bank account of the Unique Formulations. The Psychotropic tablets manufactured at the factory of Unique Formulations were marketed in the name of PB Pharmaceuticals, Raj Tower, 3rd Floor, Hauzkhas, New Delhi-110016 but no documentary record in that respect was maintained by the petitioner and co-accused Manish Mohan, and Chetan Parmer. The manufactured Psychotropic tablets/capsules were further distributed/ by co-accused Ranu Bhargav being their marketing/sales agent by procuring orders from prospective buyers.

10. The petitioner was arrested on 24.01.2024 from Jagadari, District Yamuna Nagar during the course of investigation. Section 25 NDPS has been added in the case vide G.D No. 17 dated 19.07.2024. JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::8::

11. The petitioner initially sought the concession of regular bail by way of CRM-M-20238-2024, which was dismissed as withdrawn on 01.07.2024 (Annexure P-5). Thereafter, the petitioner filed a second petition bearing CRM-M-47650-2024, which was also dismissed as withdrawn on 13.02.2025 (Annexure P-6). Subsequently, the petitioner filed a third petition bearing CRM-M-22602-2025 seeking the concession of regular bail, which came to be dismissed on merits vide order dated 28.08.2025 (Annexure P-8). Against the aforementioned order, he approached the Hon’ble Supreme Court wherein, while dismissing the bail application of the petitioner, the following order was passed:- “After hearing learned counsel for the petitioner, we do not find any case is made out for grant of bail to the petitioner at this stage. However, as pointed out by learned counsel that from 31.01.2024 till 24.02.2025, the petitioner has not been produced in the Court from jail as a result of which, neither the charges could be framed nor the trial could proceed. The jail authorities are directed to produce the accused in the case in hand, who are in custody, before the Trial Court, either in person or through video conferencing, so that the trial is not delayed further.”

12. Now the instant 4th petition seeking grant of regular bail has been filed.

13. The learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case. His name has figured in the disclosure statement of his co-accused. Pursuant to his arrest, no recovery whatsoever has been effected. On conclusion of the investigation, the challan was submitted and now charges have been framed against him under Section 29 of the NDPS Act read with Section 120-B of the IPC only. Therefore, the provisions of Section 37 of the NDPS Act would not apply as a bar in JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::9:: granting of bail to the petitioner. Further, the co-accused of the petitioner, namely, Gurmukh Singh, Sameer Kumar, Suraj Kumar, Munish Mohan (granted default bail), Bobby Meena @ Bablu, Rahul Chauhan and Prem Kumar Jhan have been granted the concession of regular bail vide orders dated 27.07.2023, 25.05.2023, 25.05.2022, 02.12.2021, 25.11.2021, 14.12.2021 and 11.01.2022 (Annexures P-10 to P-12, P-15, P-17, P-19 & P-20 respectively). As the petitioner is in custody since 24.01.2024 but none of the 100 prosecution witnesses has been examined so far, the Trial of the present case is not likely to conclude in the near future. Therefore, he is entitled to the concession of bail even though though there are two other cases registered against him emanating out of FIR No.54 dated 26.04.2019 U/s 21 of NDPS Act, P.S. Nahan and FIR No.66 dated 30.05.2021 U/s 420, 471, 120- B IPC, P.S. Paonta Sahib.

14. The learned counsel for the State, on the other hand, contends that in view of the allegations levelled against the petitioner, he is not entitled to the concession of bail. In fact, the petitioner and one Chetan Parmar are the actual owners of M/s Unique Formulations, in whose premises the contraband was manufactured and thereafter dispatched to different entities for sale without any proper documentation and on forged documents. The recovery of approximately 3,62,000 tablets has been effected from the factory premises where they were concealed without any proper documentation. The petitioner is also an accused in two other cases under the NDPS Act emanating out of FIR No.54 dated 26.04.2019 U/s 21 of NDPS Act, P.S. Nahan and FIR No.66 dated 30.05.2021 U/s 420, 471, 120-B IPC, P.S. Paonta Sahib. The instant 4th JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::10:: bail petition has been filed without any change in circumstances whatsoever. Therefore, the petitioner is not entitled to the concession of regular bail.

15. I have heard the learned counsel for the parties at length.

16. This is the 4th bail application on behalf of the petitioner. The details of his earlier bail applications are as under:- Sr. No. Bail Application Date of Decision Annexures

1. CRM-M-20238-2024 Dismissed as withdrawn on 01.07.2024 P-5

2. CRM-M-47650-2024 Dismissed as withdrawn on 13.02.2025 P-6

3. CRM-M-22602-2025 Dismissed on merits on 28.08.2025 P-8

17. The details of other cases registered against the petitioner are as under:- Sr. No. FIR Nos. and date Sections Police Station

1. FIR No.54 dated 26.04.2019 21 of NDPS Act P.S. Nahan

2. FIR No.66 dated 30.05.2021 420, 471, 120-B IPC P.S.

Paonta Sahib

18. As per the case of the prosecution, the petitioner along with one Chetan Parmar are the actual owners of M/s Unique Formulations, in whose premises the contraband was manufactured and dispatched to different entities for sale on the basis of forged documents. The recovery of approximately 3,62,000 tablets has been effected from the factory premises. The co-accused of the petitioner, with whom the petitioner seeks parity, were granted regular bail prior to the third bail application of the petitioner having been dismissed on merits by this Court vide order dated 28.08.2025 (Annexure P-8). Further, JITESH LAL

CRM-M-49386-2026 ::11:: merely because charges have been framed against the petitioner under Section 29 of the NDPS Act read with Section 120-B of the IPC does not entitle the petitioner to the concession of bail, in view of the huge quantity of contraband recovered from the factory premises. In fact, it would not be out of place to mention that the petitioner is one of the kingpins of the case.

19. In view of the above, I find no merit in the present petition. Therefore, the same stands dismissed.

20. However, the observations made hereinabove are only for the purposes of deciding this bail petition and the Trial Court is free to adjudicate upon the matter on the basis of the evidence led before it uninfluenced by any such observations made herein. (JASJIT SINGH BEDI) JUDGE 10.08.2025 JITESH Whether speaking/reasoned:- Yes/No Whether reportable:- Yes/No JITESH LAL