'Wife After Delivering Child Requires Husband's Company': Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Six Weeks Interim Bail To NDPS Accused

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has granted interim bail for six weeks to an accused booked under the NDPS Act, taking into account the birth of his child and the need to care for his wife during the post-delivery period.

Justice Sanjay Vashisth said,"the petitioner's wife was earlier in a family way and now on 05.01.2026 has been blessed with a female child. Undoubtedly, at such stage, wife of the petitioner would require company of her best companion i.e. her husband. Undoubtedly, wife of the petitioner and the newly born child require the utmost attention to look after their health etc."

The petitioner, Ajay Kumar, had approached the High Court seeking interim bail for two months, in connection with FIR No.180 dated 22.09.2025 registered under Section 22 of the NDPS Act.

The plea was founded on the ground that his wife was in an advanced stage of pregnancy at the time of filing the petition and had subsequently given birth to a child on 05.01.2026.

The status report opposed the grant of bail, pointing out that a huge recovery of 1,12,000 tablets of Tramadol Hydrochloride USP 100 mg was effected from the petitioner's possession and that he was allegedly part of a large drug-peddling syndicate. The State further contended that the petitioner's wife was under the care of her in-laws and parents and that there was a likelihood of the petitioner absconding if released on bail.

After hearing the parties and perusing the record, the Court noted that there was no dispute regarding the fact that the petitioner's wife had recently delivered a child. Observing that at such a stage a woman requires the company and support of her husband and that both the mother and the newborn child require utmost care and attention, the Court held that, without delving into the merits of the case, the petitioner deserved limited interim relief on humanitarian grounds.

The grant of interim bail was made conditional upon the petitioner depositing a bank guarantee in the form of an FDR from a nationalised bank to the tune of ₹5,00,000 with the trial court.

Mr. Sumit Dua, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Jasdeep Singh, Addl.A.G., Punjab.

Title: Ajay Kumar v. State of Punjab

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