IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA
MARY JOSEPH, J.
SUBAIR - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KERALA - Respondent
Crl. M.C. No. 1238 of 2015
Decided on : 08-12-2015
Criminal Law - Narcotics, Intoxicants and Liquor - Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 - Section 21 - Punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations - Convicted - Seeking retest the findings of the court - Held, It is only discretionary for court and while exercising discretion, court has to see whether it is a tactics of applicant to protract trial - Court has to be convinced whether retesting is sought to secure defence, when applicant is accused, or to prove its case when the applicant is the prosecution - Apex Court as well as this Court had occasions to deal with situations of nature and have already shown green signal, irrespective of fact that applications are put forth either by accused or by prosecution - Court must look from the point of view of the accused or the prosecution, whoever be applicant before it, and to arrive at the conclusion from backdrop of each case, whether retesting is justified or not or whether declining the same would perpetrate injustice.
MARY JOSEPH, J.
1. The petitioner is the first accused in S.C. No. 12/2014 pending before the Special Judge, NDPS Cases, Vadakara. He has approached this Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (for short 'the Code') seeking to set aside Annexure A7 order dated 24.11.2014 passed by the said court in Crl.M.P.No.584/14 in S.C.No.12/2014.
2. The facts of the case in brief are as follows :-
On 28.06.2011 the petitioner herein along with three other accused were found in possession of brown sugar, kept for the purpose of sale, without any authority and thereby committed the offence punishable under Section 21(c), 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short 'the NDPS Act'). The crime in this case was registered by the Sub Inspector of Police, Perumpadappu Police Station, as FIR.No.212/2011 dated 28.06.2011, alleging the commission of the offence, punishable under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act. The allegation of the prosecution was that the petitioner along with three other accused were caught while engaged in selling brown sugar at three different places in Malappuram district. The specific case of the prosecution against the petitioner was that he was engaged in selling brown sugar near Taj Theatre at Palappetty in Malappuram District. The investigation was initiated and completed by CBCID, Malappuram and a final report was filed on 20.01.2014, charge-sheeting all the four accused including the petitioner. Annexure A2 is the copy of the final report. The investigating officer took three samples each of 10 grams from the 900 grams of brown sugar allegedly seized from the petitioner, put marks thereon as S1, S2 and S3 and forwarded those before the NDPS Court, Vadakara along with the remaining 870 grams of brown sugar. These items were produced before the court as per PR.No.29/2011. The samples marked as S1, S2 and S3 were forwarded to the Chemical Examiner's Laboratory for chemical analysis and a report was obtained from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Police Department, Government of Kerala, signed by the Assistant Director of the said laboratory. The report goes to show that the samples analysed as S1, S2 and S3 from PR.No.29/2011 contained Diacetyl morphine known as brown sugar.
3. The accused No.4, after his arrest had confessed before the Investigating Officer to the effect that the contraband seized from his custody is not brown sugar but only a powder having semblance. He conferred further that if Avil-25, Varalium-5, chocolate powder and sugar are provided to him, he would prepare such a powder. Accordingly the accused No.4 was made to create such a powder by providing the ingredients as stated by him in his confession. Samples were taken there from, packed and sealed in the presence of the witnesses and those were also forwarded to the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Police Department, Government of Kerala as per PR.No.64/2011 for chemical analysis. The copy of the seizure mahazar prepared is appended along with as Annexure 3. Report was obtained from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory after analysis of the said sample (PR.No.64/2011) stating that the sample forwarded does not contain any narcotic and psychotropic substance.
4. The definite case of the accused was that he had prepared a powder incorporating Avil-25, Varelium-5, chocolate powder and sugar, in order to pass it on to his customers under the guise that it is brown sugar intending thereby to make quick and easy money. The very same contention was taken by accused No.3 while applying for bail on 15.11.2011. The true copy of the said bail application is also appended along with as Annexure 4.
5. Heard Sri. G. Sreekumar (Chelur), the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent State.
6. The specific argument put forth by the learned counsel for the petitioner was that the first accused along with other accused had filed an ap
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