Ahmedabad: An exclusive NIA court here has cancelled the bail granted earlier to an accused in a narco terrorism case by a Punjab sessions court in connection with the same offence for the purpose of further investigation as the central agency found out that he was an important part of 500 kg heroin haul case that was smuggled in the country.After cancelling the bail on May 27, the NIA court ordered the agency to arrest the accused six years after he was released in the case.Haneetpal Singh alias Honey from Punjab was one of 12 accused persons named in a heroin haul case in January 2020 by Punjab special task force. Four persons including Honey were granted bail by an additional sessions judge at Amritsar in July 2020. Since then, he has been out on bail.The union home ministry transferred this case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2021 after the probe by the Gujarat ATS in 4.9 kg heroin seizure revealed that it was part of an international drug racket and the contraband was to be sent to Punjab. After NIA took over the probe, it found out that heroin weighing 500 kg was brought from Pakistan to Gujarat through sea route between March 9, 2018 and May 31, 2018 in three consignments. Its probe revealed that Honey played a significant role in contraband’s smuggling and managing the funds. As wider international drug racket came to surface, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was also invoked in this case. However, Honey was not available for questioning, as he was granted regular bail by the Punjab court.In a case that NIA filed in the special court in Ahmedabad in 2024, the probe agency’s draft charge against 18 persons included Honey, who was wanted accused No. 11. Honey took an objection to his alleged role and unsuccessfully challenged the draft charge.Finally, NIA filed an application in the special court seeking Honey’s bail cancellation arguing that his custodial interrogation is required. The Punjab and Haryana high court last year cancelled bail of three other accused in this case, and Honey’s bail should also be cancelled to enable NIA to arrest him because his role was found as an active conspirator in handling and transferring drug proceeds, facilitating hawala transactions, routing funds to Pakistan, Dubai and other foreign destinations, NIA submitted in the special NIA court.After the hearing, special NIA judge M P Purohit took into consideration the cancellation of bail of three co-accused by the Punjab and Haryana high court looking at the gravity of allegations. The NIA court said, “It has been observed that it is well settled proposition of law that an accused who has been extended benefit of bail, can be directed by the Court to be arrested and committed to custody on addition of a graver and non-cognizable offences, despite the fact that an order of bail was granted earlier in his favour. It has been further observed that in order to elicit information about the extent of the involvement and role played by the respondent, thorough and effective investigation is certainly required to be carried out and for that purpose, custodial interrogation of respondent is must.”
