Crl.M.No.26303-M of 2010 #1# IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Crl.M.No.26303-M of 2010 Date of Order: 26.11.2010 Harjinder Singh .....Petitioner Vs. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence through Standing counsel .....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASWANT SINGH Present: Mr. S.S. Dass, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. D.D. Sharma, Advocate for the respondent. JASWANT SINGH, J (ORAL) Petitioner, who is a Canadian citizen of Indian origin, has filed the instant petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C seeking permission to go to Canada to meet his ailing father. Allegations against the petitioner are that 1.830 kg (2kg approximately) of contolled substance namely Ephedrine was recovered and seized in pursuance of his disclosure statement by the raiding party of the DRI. It is submitted that the petitioner is in custody for the last more than one year and the recovered contraband being a controlled substance, the rigors of Section 37 of the NDPS Act are not attracted. Learned counsel for the respondent-DRI states that if the petitioner is permitted to go to Canada then the trial shall not proceed further. He further submits that the prosecution evidence shall be concluded within four months. Crl.M.No.26303-M of 2010 #2# Learned counsel for the petitioner states that in case the prosecution fails to conclude its evidence within 4 months, then the petitioner may be permitted to go abroad and his passport be released. In view of the statement made by learned counsel for the respondent that the prosecution evidence shall be concluded within a period of four months, prayer of the petitioner for release of his passport and permission to go to Canada cannot be accepted at this juncture. However, in view of the stand taken by respondents, present petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to conclude the entire prosecution evidence within a period of four months from today and further learned trial Court is directed to conclude the trial expeditiously but not later than six months from today. November 26, 2010 ( JASWANT SINGH ) manoj JUDGE