Justices Sanjay Karol and Manmohan said the grant of compensation was without the authority of law. The top court was hearing an appeal filed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) challenging an order of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. The NCB seized 1,280 grams of brown powder (allegedly heroin) from the possession of one Man Singh Verma and one Aman Singh. A criminal case was registered against Verma under Sections 8(C), 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and he was remanded to judicial custody. While awaiting results from the laboratory, the accused filed a plea before Special Judge, NDPS, Barabanki district, seeking bail, which was rejected. The accused approached the high court against the order and the Supreme Court set aside the order, saying the application for bail had become infructuous since the district court had already released the respondent. The SC said the undue restriction of liberty, i.e. without the backing of procedures established by law, is unquestionably an affront to a person’s rights, but the avenues to seek recourse of law in connection therewith are limited to remedies as per law.
