Criminal Misc. No.M-30433 of 2008 -1- **** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No.M-30433 of 2008 Date of decision : 20.11.2008 Pala Ram .....Petitioner Versus State of Haryana and others ...Respondents **** CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. D. ANAND Present: Mr. H.S.Jaswal, Advocate the petitioner S. D. ANAND, J. Criminal Misc. No.53433 of 2008 Allowed as prayed for. Criminal Misc. No.M-30433-2008 The grievance of the petitioner-prisoner is that his plea for release on parole was not even entertained by the respondents on the premise that he is convicted under N.D.P.S.Act. Notice of motion. On the asking of the Court, Mr. S.S. Mor, learned Senior Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, accepts notice on behalf of the State. The petition shall stand disposed of with a direction to the competent authority to take a decision on the pending parole plea of the petitioner-prisoner within fifteen days from today. The petition shall be treated as application for the grant of parole. The parole plea may not be declined on the ground that petitioner-prisoner is a convicted under the NDPS Act. The view that a petitioner-prisoner undergoing imprisonment Criminal Misc. No.M-30433 of 2008 -2- **** on conviction for smuggling of narcotic substances cannot be released on parole had already been negatived by a judgment rendered by this Court in Criminal Writ No. 1157 of 2006 (Sukhwinder Singh @ Titto Vs. State of Punjab) decided on 10.8.2007. It will be for the State counsel to communicate the order to the competent authority. Copy of the order be given to the learned State counsel under the signatures of the Court Secretary. November 20, 2008 (S. D. ANAND) Pka JUDGE