MUMBAI: Celebrity hairstylist Suraj Godambe, who was arrested last month by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) with allegedly 11 grams of cocaine, was granted bail by a special court this week.
Godambe was arrested at Oshiwara on December 9 along with one Lal Chandra Yadav. The NCB said that drugs were recovered from the joint possession of both the accused.
Godambe sought bail on the grounds that he had no criminal antecedents. He also claimed that he had been falsely implicated in the crime.
Suraj’s plea further said that the NCB had not followed the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act properly.
“The alleged contraband recovered is of non-commercial quantity. He shall abide by the terms and conditions if imposed while releasing on bail," the defence told the court.
The NCB strongly denied the allegations. It objected to the bail application on the grounds that the investigation is in progress.
"The punishment to the offence is imprisonment up to a period of ten years. Accused may flee if released on bail and also, may commit a similar offence," the prosecution submitted.
The court, however, said that the prosecution had not shown that because of ongoing investigations, it was necessary to detain the accused in jail.
"It appears that a formal collection of evidence is going on. The fact that 11-gram cocaine of non-commercial quantity was recovered from him. Merely the punishment to the offence is up to a period of ten years, bail cannot be refused,” the court said.
It further said that NCB’s apprehension of Godambe fleeing, pressuring the witnesses, and repeating the crime, would be taken care of by imposing necessary conditions.
“Accused shall attend NCB office, Mumbai, once in a week preferably on Tuesday between 11am and 2pm until the filing of the complaint. He shall not commit an offence similar offence. He shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case..,” the court said while imposing conditions for Godambe’s release.