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Allahabad High Court

AJAY YADAV @ AJAY KUMAR YADAVversusSTATE OF U.P.

Decided

Holding

The applicant is entitled to bail as the allegations and evidence do not amount to a sufficient ground for its denial, in line with prevailing bail jurisprudence.

Summary

Ajay Yadav was arrested in connection with a case involving the illegal sale and transportation of codeine‑based cough syrup and was charged under several IPC sections and the NDPS Act. The FIR did not name him, but co‑accused statements and CCTV footage showing a Rs 20 lakh deposit to a trader were cited by the prosecution. The applicant argued that these allegations were insufficient to link him to the narcotics offence and that he had been in custody since 19 March 2026. The court, referring to Supreme Court precedents on bail and the circumstances of overcrowded jails, held that the material did not justify denial of bail. Consequently, the bail application was allowed subject to standard conditions.

Issues considered

  • Whether the applicant is entitled to bail despite indirect allegations and CCTV evidence.
  • Whether the statements of co‑accused and the deposit transaction constitute sufficient grounds to deny bail.
  • Application of Supreme Court bail jurisprudence to the present narcotics case.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • bail
  • Narcotics
  • Codeine cough syrup
  • Indian Penal Code
  • NDPS Act
  • overcrowded prisons
  • Supreme Court bail jurisprudence
  • evidentiary standards

Judgment

          HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
          CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 33902 of 2026

Ajay Yadav @ Ajay Kumar Yadav
                                                        .....Applicant(s)
                                Versus

State of U.P.
                                                           .....Opposite
                                                                 Party(s)

Counsel for Applicant(s)                 :   Siddharth Chaudhary
Counsel for Opposite Party(s)            :   G.A.

Court No. - 66
           HON'BLE ARUN KUMAR SINGH DESHWAL, J.

1. Heard Sri D.R. Chaudhary, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by
Sri Siddharth Chaudhary, learned counsel for the applicant, Sri Nitesh
Kumar Srivastava, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the
record.

2. The instant bail application has been filed with a prayer to release
the applicant on bail in Case crime no. 377 of 2025, U/s 318(4), 338,
336(3), 340(1), 208(b), 61(2) BNS & Section 8-C, 21-C, 26-D, 29
NDPS Act, Police Station- Adalhaat, District-Mirzapur, during the
pendency of the trial.

3. Contention of learned counsel for the applicant is that applicant
was not named in the FIR, wherein the allegation has been made that
A.K. Distributor, which is the proprietorship concern of Akshat Kumar
Yadav, had purchased 26,000 bottles of new Phensedyl Codeine
based cough syrup from Saili Traders and thereafter, he sold it in
open market. The name of the applicant surfaced in the statement of
the co-accused Akshat Kumar Yadav, wherein he stated that the
applicant had introduced him with one Divesh Jaiswal, who was
involved in illegal sale and transportation of Codeine based cough
syrup. Thereafter, in the statement of Divesh Jaiswal, he also made
allegation against the applicant that applicant is also involved in the
business of property as well as medicines, without making any
specific reference regarding involvement of the applicant in sale or
                                                    BAIL No. 33902 of 2026
                              2


illegal transportation of the Codeine based cough syrup. It is further
submitted that the Police, while conducting the investigation of case
crime no.376 of 2026, police station-Adalhaat, district-Mirzapur,
collected evidence, wherein, in the CCTV footage, applicant was
found depositing Rs.20 lakhs in the account of Sunrise Traders, who
is the proprietorship concern of one Shivam Dwivedi.

4. Learned counsel for the applicant has submitted that merely
because at the instruction of proprietor of Sunrise Traders, applicant
had deposited some amount, it is not sufficient in itself to implicate
the applicant in the sale and transportation of Codeine based cough
syrup, without there being any other material. It is further submitted
that the applicant has explained the criminal history of three cases in
the accompanying affidavit. It is further submitted that charge sheet
has been filed in the present case, therefore, there is no requirement
of custodial interrogation. The applicant is languishing in jail since
19.03.2026. In case, he is granted bail, he will not misuse the liberty
of bail and would cooperate in the trial proceedings.

5. Per contra, learned A.G.A. has vehemently opposed the prayer for
bail but could not dispute the aforesaid facts.

6. Considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case,
submissions of learned counsel for the parties and keeping in view
the nature of offence, evidence, complicity of the accused and taking
into account overcrowded jails and heavy pendency of criminal cases
before the trial courts as well as considering the mandate of the
judgement of the Apex Court in the case of Kapil Wadhawan vs
Central Bureau of Investigation reported in 2025 SCC OnLine SC
3038 as well as guideline of this Court in the case of Maya Tiwari Vs.
State of U.P. reported in 2024 SCC Online All 6765 regarding grant
of bail and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, I
am of the opinion that the applicant is entitled to be enlarged on
bail. Accordingly, the present application is allowed.

7. Let the applicant- Ajay Yadav @ Ajay Kumar Yadav, involved in
the aforementioned crime be released on bail, on his furnishing a
                                                       BAIL No. 33902 of 2026
                               3


personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount, to the
satisfaction of the court concerned, with the following conditions:-

i. The applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement,
threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case
so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or to
any police officer or tamper with the evidence.

ii. The applicant shall cooperate in the trial/investigation sincerely
without seeking any adjournment.

iii. The applicant shall not indulge in any criminal activity or
commission of any crime after being released on bail.

iv. The applicant shall attend in accordance with the conditions of the
bond executed by him.

8. In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a
ground for cancellation of bail.

9. Identity, status and residence proof of the applicant and sureties be
verified by the court concerned before the bonds are accepted.

10. Verification of mobile number and Aadhaar card of the applicant
as well as sureties should be verified by the court concerned.

11. It is made clear that the applicant shall be released on the basis
of computer generated copy of this order, downloaded from the
official website of High Court Allahabad and verified by the concerned
counsel with the undertaking that the certified copy will be filed within
15 days.

12. It is further directed that the trial court shall send the release order
to the concerned jail through Bail Order Management System
(BOMS) to ensure early release of the applicant.

13. Office is directed to send a copy of this order to the applicant
through Mirzapur Jail Superintendent via e-mail or on e-prison
portal and Trial Court via e-mode within 24 hours in compliance of the
                                                                                     BAIL No. 33902 of 2026
                                                               4


                                    order of the Apex Court in the case of Policy Strategy for Grant of
                                    Bail, In Re: Suo Motu Writ Petition (Crl.) No.4 of 2021 decided on
                                    31.01.2023 reported in (2024) 10 SCC 685 as well as Pila Pahan @
                                    Peela Pahan and others Vs. State of Jharkhand and another, in
                                    Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 169 of 2025, decided on 29.05.2026.



                                                                        (Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal,J.)
                                    October 1, 2026
                                    S.C.




Digitally signed by :-
SHUBHAM CHAURASIA
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad


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