The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court refused bail in a commercial-quantity narcotics case where the investigation went beyond a co-accused’s statement and collected hotel records, CCTV footage, call records and witness material allegedly linking the applicant to supply.
Judge / Bench — Justice Shahzad Azeem
It accepted that a Section 67 confession alone could not sustain the case, but found that the independent material prevented the statutory Section 37 threshold from being met. The evidence’s ultimate admissibility and weight remain for trial. The applicant’s arrest-ground plea was also inconsistent with his own pleading that grounds had been explained. The decision underlines the need to examine corroboration separately from an inadmissible confession; the trial court was directed to prioritise material witnesses and proceed expeditiously.
Case — Mohd. Salim Khan v. Union of India · Bail App. 98/2026 · 5 October 2026 · Jammu wing
Advocates appearing — Petitioner — Mr. Idrees Saleem Dar, Advocate. Respondent/Union of India — Mr. Sumant Sudan, Advocate, vice Mr. Vishal Sharma, DSGI.