Supreme Court judgments on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985

56 judgments, latest first, from 2018 to 2026. Listed when the Supreme Court Reports file the judgment's headnote under this Act, as printed at the start of the headnote. Judgments that only mention it in passing are not listed.

Sections

Section 8 14 Section 20 17 Section 21 5 Section 29 12 Section 37 8 Section 50 6 Section 67 5

Topics

Abdul Rajik vs State of M.P.

SC · 16 September 2026

[2026] 10 S.C.R. 180 : 2026 INSC 1001

Whether the prosecution failed to prove that the substance recovered from the accused-appellants was charas and consequently, their conviction, as recorded by the trial Court and affirmed by the High Court is unsustainab…

State of Punjab vs Balraj Singh @ Billa

SC · 2 June 2026

[2026] 7 S.C.R. 39 : 2026 INSC 618

Issue arose whether the order granting bail of the High Court is in consonance with the settled principles of law concerning s.37 of the NDPS Act.

Hem Raj vs The State of Himachal Pradesh

SC · 8 April 2026

[2026] 5 S.C.R. 67 : 2026 INSC 332

(i) What is contended by the appellant is that punishment imposed u/s.20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 on the appellant would take care of the punishment for the conviction u/s.25 and s.29 o…

Reginamary Chellamani vs State Rep by Superintendent of Customs

SC · 5 February 2026

[2026] 2 S.C.R. 398 : 2026 INSC 127

Issue pertains to grant of bail to the appellant for commission of offence punishable u/s.8(c) r/w ss.20(b)(ii)(C), 22(c), 23, 28 and 29 of the NDPS Act r/w s.135 of the Customs Act; and the right of the accused to free…

Roshni Devi vs The State of Telangana and Others

SC · 8 January 2026

[2026] 2 S.C.R. 128 : 2026 INSC 41

Issue arose whether the order of preventive detention passed by the Magistrate and upheld by the High Court u/s.3(2) of the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986 valid in law.

Jothi @ Nagajothi vs The State, Rep. by the Inspector of Police

SC · 11 December 2025

[2025] 12 S.C.R. 488 : 2025 INSC 1417

This is an appeal challenging the judgment dated 27.06.2024 passed by the High Court, whereby the conviction and sentence imposed upon the appellant u/ss.8(c) r/w 20(b)(ii)(C) and 8(c) r/w 29(1) of the Narcotic Drugs and…

Kailas S/o Bajirao Pawar vs The State of Maharashtra

SC · 15 September 2025

[2025] 9 S.C.R. 935 : 2025 INSC 1117

Issue arose whether the High Court was justified in ordering a re-trial; if not, then what would be the appropriate order that may be passed in this appeal.

Manoj Tejraj Jain vs State of Gujarat

SC · 28 August 2025

[2025] 8 S.C.R. 2437 : 2025 INSC 1090

Challenge to the judgment of the High Court whereby the appeals filed by the appellants herein were dismissed against the judgment of the trial court convicting them for offences u/ss.25A and 29, Narcotic Drugs and Psych…

Nadeem Ahamed vs The State of West Bengal

SC · 5 August 2025

[2025] 8 S.C.R. 987 : 2025 INSC 993

Whether the Courts below erred in convicting the accused-appellant for the offences punishable u/ss.21(c) and 29, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

Narayan Das vs State of Chhattisgarh

SC · 17 July 2025

[2025] 8 S.C.R. 289 : 2025 INSC 872

Issue arose as regards the interpretation of s.32-B of the NDPS Act by the High Court that u/s.32-B minimum punishment is considered as maximum punishment.

Harpreet Singh Talwar @ Kabir Talwar vs The State of Gujarat th. National Investigating Agency

SC · 13 May 2025

[2025] 6 S.C.R. 291 : 2025 INSC 662

Whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, the Appellant is entitled for regular bail.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence vs Raj Kumar Arora & Ors.

SC · 17 April 2025

[2025] 4 S.C.R. 835 : 2025 INSC 498

Issue arose whether an offence u/s.8(c) of the NDPS Act could be said to have been made out when an accused “deals with” psychotropic substances mentioned in the Schedule to the NDPS Act but not figuring in Schedule I of…

The State of Jharkhand vs Sunny Kumar @ Sunny Kumar Sao

SC · 3 February 2025

[2025] 2 S.C.R. 619 : 2025 INSC 153

Matter pertains to the correctness of the order passed by the High Court granting bail to the accused in a case registered for offence punishable u/s.18 of the NDPS Act, and when subsequently he was involved in another c…

Narcotic Control Bureau vs Lakhwinder Singh

SC · 29 January 2025

[2025] 1 S.C.R. 1581 : 2025 INSC 190

Matter pertains to the correctness of the order passed by the High Court granting relief of suspension of sentence and bail to the respondent/accused pending an appeal against his conviction, under the 1985 Act.

Rakesh Kumar Raghuvanshi vs The State of Madhya Pradesh

SC · 16 January 2025

[2025] 1 S.C.R. 2008 : 2025 INSC 96

Whether the High Court erred in upholding the judgment of the trial court, thereby upholding the appellant guilty of conscious possession of poppy husk.

Bishwajit Dey vs The State of Assam

SC · 7 January 2025

[2025] 1 S.C.R. 281 : 2025 INSC 32

Interim release of conveyances during the pendency of the trial in NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985) cases.

Bharat Aambale vs The State of Chhattisgarh

SC · 6 January 2025

[2025] 1 S.C.R. 1524 : 2025 INSC 78

Appellant had been convicted by the Courts below under Section 20(b)(ii)(c) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The issue was whether the conviction could be said to have been vitiated because of non…

Narcotics Control Bureau vs Kashif

SC · 20 December 2024

[2024] 12 S.C.R. 1406 : 2025 INSC 1045

Interpretation of Section 52A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

Ankush Vipan Kapoor vs National Investigation Agency

SC · 16 December 2024

[2024] 12 S.C.R. 1743 : 2024 INSC 986

Whether the NIA can investigate only the same accused who is present in the NIA investigation qua Scheduled Offences and for non-scheduled offence by virtue of Section 8 of the National Investigation Agency, 2008; In oth…

Bharti Arora vs The State of Haryana

SC · 13 December 2024

[2024] 12 S.C.R. 1044 : 2024 INSC 976

Whether the Special Judge could have conducted the proceedings against the present appellant for the offence punishable u/s.58 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985; whether the Special Judge was ju…

The State of Meghalaya vs Lalrintluanga Sailo & Anr.

SC · 16 July 2024

[2024] 7 S.C.R. 1314 : 2024 INSC 537

Whether the High Court erred in granting bail to the accused solely on the ground that she was suffering from HIV, without adverting to the mandate under Section 37(1)(b)(ii), NDPS Act, and without taking in view the qua…

Frank Vitus vs Narcotics Control Bureau & Ors.

SC · 8 July 2024

[2024] 7 S.C.R. 97 : 2024 INSC 479

The appellant was ordered to be enlarged on bail subject to various terms and conditions incorporated in the said order. The petitioner is aggrieved by the two conditions imposed while granting bail. The two conditions a…

Smt. Najmunisha vs The State of Gujarat

SC · 9 April 2024

[2024] 4 S.C.R. 442 : 2024 INSC 290

As per the prosecution, secret information was received by PW-2 (Intelligence Officer/Inspector) as to Accused No. 4 (husband of Accused No.1) carrying contraband from a particular route in an auto rickshaw. Said secret…

Mohammed Khalid and Another vs The State of Telangana

SC · 1 March 2024

[2024] 3 S.C.R. 23 : 2024 INSC 158

Whether the High Court was justified in affirming the judgment of the trial court convicting and sentencing the accused appellants for the charge u/s. 8(c) r/w. s.20(b)(ii)(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Subst…

State by the Inspector of Police vs B. Ramu

SC · 12 February 2024

[2024] 2 S.C.R. 357 : 2024 INSC 114

In a case involving recovery of huge quantity of narcotic substance (232.5 kg of ganja), wherein the Respondent-accused was indicted as being the conspirator for procurement/supply of the ganja so recovered, High Court w…

Case Details Balwinder Singh (Binda) vs The Narcotics Control Bureau

SC · 22 September 2023

[2023] 14 S.C.R. 100 : 2023 INSC 852

Matter pertains to admissibility in evidence of the confessional statement recorded by the Narcotics Control Bureau officers u/s. 67 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985; and proving of possession of c…

Mangilal vs The State of Madhya Pradesh

SC · 12 July 2023

[2023] 10 S.C.R. 517 : 2023 INSC 634

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985 – s.52A – Non-compliance of – Held: – In the present case, search warrant under Exhibit P-4 acknowledged the fact that procedure contemplated under the NDPS Act was not…

Harbhajan Singh vs State of Haryana

SC · 25 April 2023

[2023] 3 S.C.R. 545 : 2023 INSC 424

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985: ss. 25, 35 – Applicability of s. 25 – When – Presumption of culpable mental state u/s. 35 – When, available –On facts, truck found lying turtle and bags of powder sca…

Mohd Muslim @ Hussain vs State (NCT of Delhi)

SC · 28 March 2023

[2023] 3 S.C.R. 697 : 2023 INSC 311

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 – s.37 – Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – s.436A – Appellant accused of committing offences punishable under NDPS Act has been in custody since 2015, if entitled to…

State of Himachal Pradesh vs Nirmal Kaur @ Nimmo and Others

SC · 20 October 2022

[2022] 11 S.C.R. 369 : 2022 INSC 1121

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 – s.2(xvii)(a) and (b) and s.15 – Conviction in relation to ‘poppy straw’ – ‘Poppy straw’ defined to mean all parts of ‘opium poppy’ except the seeds – ‘Opium poppy’ d…

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