Court rejects bail plea of 8 pak citizens in drug case

Mumbai: A sessions court has rejected the bail application filed by eight Pakistani nationals, who were arrested with 323 kg heroin by the Navy, off the Porbandar coast in 2015. The accused has sought bail on the ground that they were arrested beyond the Indian jurisdiction. The drugs seized were estimated to be valued around `600 crore in the international market.

According to the prosecution, on April 26, 2015, the Navy had intercepted a boat, as it did not have a flag, name or number on it. Upon searching the vessel, 232 packets of heroin were found. It was claimed that the material was supposed to be delivered in India.

Advocate Swapnil Patil, on behalf of the accused argued that the Indian courts do not have the jurisdiction to try an offence that has been allegedly committed by a foreign national in a foreign vessel, outside the territory of India.

Public prosecutor R.V. Tiwari opposed the bail plea saying that the boat was intercepted in the Indian Territory.

After hearing the arguments, Judge V.S. Padalkar rejected the bail application observing that the discharge application had already been rejected and they had not challenged it upon territorial jurisdiction. The judge also said that if the prosecution failed to prove the jurisdiction, the accused would get the benefit of it.