Court lets drugs case accused go abroad for a year to pursue education

MUMBAI: In a rare instance of allowing a drugs case accused to travel and live abroad for over a year, a special NDPS court granted a 23-year-old student permission to pursue his master's degree in the US while observing that it was for a "good reason". Out on bail, the accused said he wanted to complete his MBA.
Allowing his plea, special judge VG Raghuwanshi said, "Before this application, the applicant filed two applications for permission to travel abroad and he was granted permission... Thereafter, he again deposited his passport with the investigating officer. The applicant is seeking permission to pursue higher studies, ie, for a good reason."
The judge said Bhimani was allowed to travel abroad for higher studies between August 1, 2022, and September 31, 2023. The accused was directed to submit his detailed itinerary and contact numbers to the police. "The accused shall not meet any accused involved in illegal activities of the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substance while his visit and stay abroad," the judge said.