The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of Tariq Ahmed Lone, an accused in a high-profile narco-terrorism case involving a substantial drug haul at the Attari border. The bench, led by Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prashant Kumar Mishra, highlighted the gravity of the allegations while rejecting the plea.
In 2019, authorities seized 532 kilograms of heroin and 52 kilograms of mixed narcotics valued at approximately Rs 2,700 crore. The contraband was intercepted at the Attari Integrated Check Post, smuggled from Pakistan disguised within a rock salt consignment. The case has been characterized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as having significant national and international implications, branding it narco-terrorism.
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Lone, argued for bail on the grounds that the narcotics were not physically recovered from Lone and that the vehicle and storage facilities used for the smuggling did not belong to him. Gonsalves noted that four other co-accused in the case had been granted bail. However, the bench refused bail, stating the severity of the charges but permitted Lone the liberty to apply again should circumstances change.
The drug smuggling operation was initially uncovered by the Department of Customs after a Pakistani truck was found to be carrying the narcotics under the guise of a rock salt shipment. The investigation was later transferred to the NIA, which led to further revelations about the international drug trafficking network rooted in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
This case saw the arrest of Lone and Gurpinder Singh, initially by customs officers. Singh, linked to the import company involved in the illicit shipment, has since passed away. The ongoing investigation by the NIA culminated in a chargesheet against 11 individuals, exposing a broad network involved in the trafficking of narcotics across borders.
