P&H High Court grants bail to ex-cop and Arjuna awardee Jagdish Singh Bhola after 11 years in jail

The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently granted bail to former Punjab Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and wrestler Jagdish Singh Bholla, who had been arrested over a decade ago on allegations that he was the kingpin of a ₹700 crore drug racket. .The Court noted that he had already served 11 years and 5 months of his 12-year sentence, while appeals against his conviction in the drugs case remained pending.A Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel also noted that there was "no hope of the appeal coming up for final hearing in the near future."Notably, it also ordered Bhola to plant 100 indigenous saplings in a public place, as a bail condition. "The applicant is directed to plant 100 saplings of indigenous plants at a public place and submit proof in that regard by way of photographs before the Chief Judicial Magistrate within a period of 15 days. In the absence of any intimation/compliance report, the matter be put up for consideration on the question of cancellation of bail," the Court said.The Court further directed Bhola to furnish a personal bond of ₹5 lakhs and two sureties of the same amount for his release on bail..Bhola was convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in 2019, in a case which involved allegations that he was the kingpin behind an international drug smuggling cartel. The group was accused of diverting chemicals meant for medicinal purposes to factories manufacturing synthetic narcotic drugs. According to reports, the Mumbai police first arrested him on allegations of drug possession in 2008. The scandal led to the withdrawal of the Arjuna award conferred on him by the Indian government for his contributions to sports as a wrestler. He was also suspended from his post as DSP. In 2013, after his release from jail in the Mumbai case, the Punjab Police reportedly unravelled a larger drug racket, in which he was accused of playing a key role. A money laundering case was filed against him and others as well, in connection with this case. .Following his 2019 conviction in the NDPS case, he filed an appeal before the High Court the same year. The said appeal has been pending since then. The Court on May 21 noted that he had filed four applications to suspend his sentence until his appeal is decided. It proceeded to grant him bail, considering his long period of incarceration. "The custody certificate persuades us to grant bail to the applicant-appellant considering the fact that 11 years and about 5 months of awarded sentence of 12 years of rigorous imprisonment has undisputedly been suffered by the applicant- appellant and there is no hope of the appeal coming up for final hearing in the near future," the Court said. .However, it also imposed strict bail conditions, considering that he was accused in other cases as well. Bhola has been directed to report to the concerned police station once a month to mark his presence. He was also ordered to surrender his passport. "In case, the applicant/appellant does not possess passport, he is directed to file an affidavit in that regard," the Court added, while suspending his sentence for the pendency of his appeal. .Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari along with Advocate Hargun Sandh appeared for the Bhola. Additional Advocate General Somesh Arora appeared for the State..[Read Order]