DEEPAK KHURANA vs NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Judgment reserved on: 06.02.2026 Judgment pronounced on: 27.03.2026 Judgment uploaded on: 28.03.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 3211/2025 DEEPAK KHURANA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sunil Dalal, Sr Adv. with Mr. Harish Chand, Mr. Anant Chittoria, Mr. Deepak Ahlawat and Mr. P.C. Arya, Advs. versus NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY .....Respondent Through: Ms. Shilpa Singh, SPP and Ms. Priyam Agrawal, Advs. CORAM: HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE SWARANA KANTA SHARMA JUDGMENT DR. SWARANA KANTA SHARMA, J 1. By way of the present application, the applicant is seeking grant of regular bail in case arising out of FIR bearing no. RC- 35/2022/NIA/DLI, registered at Police Station National Investigation Agency, Delhi, for the commission of offences punishable under Section 21(c)/23(c)/29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (hereafter ‘NDPS Act’). BAIL APPLN. 3211/2025 Page 1 of 8 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:ZEENAT PRAVEEN Signing Date:28.03.2026 17:08:26 2. Briefly stated, the facts of the present case are that a consignment of liquorice roots (Mulethi), which had been imported from Afghanistan, had been intercepted, and upon inspection, a total of 102.784 kilograms of heroin had been recovered concealed therein. The said consignment had allegedly been imported by accused Vipin Mittal, in furtherance of a conspiracy involving other co-accused persons. During the course of investigation, it had been revealed that the conspiracy to smuggle the aforesaid contraband had been hatched in late 2021 and was executed thereafter. It had further emerged that the operation had been masterminded by one of the co- accused from abroad, while the procurement and dispatch of the contraband from Afghanistan had been facilitated by another co