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The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed the bail plea of alleged drug trafficker Sandeep Shah, calling him a habitual Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) offender whose release would endanger society amid the state's worsening drug crisis.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, refusing the plea, observed that Himachal Pradesh was battling an escalating narcotics problem that had pushed a large section of its youth into addiction. "The parents of the children in the State are no more worried about the careers of their children; rather, they are more worried about their children getting into drugs," the judge noted, terming drug abuse and its consequences "a national crisis." Shah, arrested on April 21, 2025, is accused of operating a heroin supply network in Shimla using couriers from Delhi, virtual phone numbers, encrypted messaging platforms and QR code-based digital payment routes. The racket surfaced after the arrest of Veer Singh, who was caught with 7.98 grams of heroin near Lalpani Bus Stop in April 2024. Subsequent investigation allegedly uncovered financial trails, WhatsApp chats and UPI/QR-based transactions linking Shah to the supply chain. Police told the court that Shah had ties with a Delhi-based African supplier and had been involved in narcotics cases since 2021. Five NDPS cases and one IPC case are pending against him. He had also been declared a proclaimed offender three times for absconding during the trial. While acknowledging that personal liberty cannot be curtailed indefinitely, the court held that Shah's record demonstrated a pattern of repeated involvement in drug trafficking. "Seeing the history of the present bail petitioner, it seems that if his personal liberty and freedom are protected, the same may be a bane for society," the order said. Justice Sharma further noted, "There are multiple cases registered against the present bail petitioner... he has multiple addresses registered with different banks and police stations... and he has been declared a proclaimed offender three times." The court said this undermined his claim that he would not flee or misuse bail. The High Court held that Shah had offered no reasonable explanation for alleging false implication. "It cannot be believed that the present bail petitioner has been falsely implicated... or that after being released on bail, he will not involve himself in offences pertaining to drug trafficking," the order stated. With the Supreme Court directing that the trial be completed by February 2026, the High Court ruled that releasing Shah would not serve the interests of justice. "This court does not consider it fit to grant bail... The bail application is accordingly dismissed," the order concluded. (ANI)
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