IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. CRM-M-33647 of 2011 Decided on 14.12.2011 Tarsem Singh @ Sema --Petitioner vs. State of Punjab --Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE RAKESH KUMAR JAIN Present: Mr.Ashok Bhardwaj,Advocate, for the petitioner Mr.A.S.Rai, DAG, Punjab RAKESH KUMAR JAIN,J: (ORAL) This is a petition for bail pending trial in a case registered vide FIR No. 141 dated 23.12.2010, under Sections 15/18,25/60/61 and 85 of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short, 'NDPS Act') at Police Station Sadar, Mansa. The alleged recovery from the petitioner is of 120 Kg of poppy husk and 1 Kg of opium. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that he is in custody from 23.12.2010. The challan was presented on 12.4.2011 and charge was framed on 14.6.2011 but till today, not even a single witness has been examined by the prosecution. He further submits that except one witness Darshan Singh, all other are official witnesses. Faced with this situation, learned counsel for the State, on instructions received from HC Jasbir Singh, has submitted that the case is now fixed for 20.12.2011 for evidence of the prosecution before the trial Court and the Investigating Officer is bound down for the said date. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that as per CRM-M-33647 of 2011 -2- instructions received from his client, from the date of framing the charge, five dates have been taken by the prosecution for examination of their witnesses, but not even a single witness has been examined till date. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties, I am of the opinion that in view of Section 37 of the Act, the petitioner cannot be granted bail. However, the trial Court is directed to complete the trial by the end of March, 2012 by giving short adjourments to the prosecution and the defence. With the aforesaid direction, this petition stands disposed of. 14.12.2011 (Rakesh Kumar Jain) RR Judge