AHMEDABAD: A local court directed a suspected drug trafficker to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse and the harsh legal consequences as a prerequisite for his release on bail.
The court also ordered the accused to obtain signatures from young individuals whom he explains about drug-related hazards and submit the compiled list to the court within a two-month period. However, the court made it clear that non-compliance with this requirement would not lead to bail revocation.
The police arrested Wasim Shaikh alias Vasiyo on December 13, 2024, in Vatva with 3.6 grams of mephedrone in his possession. He was charged under Sections 8C, 21B, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
In his bail plea before the city sessions court, Shaikh claimed innocence and contended that Vatva police fabricated charges against him. His advocate, I D Pathan, submitted Shaikh acts as an informer for the SOG crime branch, but not for the DCP, Zone-6. His refusal to provide information to the DCP led to his false implication in the case.
Shaikh’s lawyer further submitted that considering his role as a police informant, while sending him to judicial custody, the court directed his placement in a separate barrack.
The Sabarmati central jail administration failed to comply, and other inmates, who harboured animosity towards him, subjected him to severe physical assault.
His brother lodged a criminal complaint with the Ranip police regarding this incident.
The prosecution opposed the bail plea, but Additional Sessions Judge B L Choithani said that the quantity of drug seized from him is near small quantity. Neither the investigating agency nor the prosecution properly replied to his claim of being a police informant.
While the court ordered his release on bail, one of the conditions imposed reads, “The applicant must voluntarily explain to as many people as he can the seriousness of drug addiction and the provisions of the NDPS Act, which include a sentence of up to twenty years and a fine of up to two lakh rupees. The applicant must also explain this to the youth and obtain their signatures and submit the list in the court in 60 days. Even if the applicant does not comply with this condition, it will not be a reason to cancel the land.”