The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a courier firm owner who was among a dozen individuals arrested in connection with the massive seizure of 1,800 kilograms of mephedrone (MD) in Pune in 2024. The court, while ordering his release, noted the need for concrete evidence to establish his involvement in the crime.
The Chain of Events Leading to Arrests
The case originated on February 19, 2024, when the Pune police intercepted two individuals found in possession of 500 grams of mephedrone. During interrogation, the duo reportedly revealed the name of a third person. This third individual claimed that a foreign national had supplied him with the narcotic substance for sale.
This initial lead triggered a broader investigation, which was subsequently taken over by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The probe culminated in the arrest of a total of 12 people. Among them was Nishant Shashikant Modi, the owner of a courier firm. The investigation revealed that Modi had transferred money to two of his co-accused.
Legal Battle and Bail Contention
In November 2025, a special court designated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Pune rejected Modi's application for bail. Following this rejection, he approached the Bombay High Court.
Modi's primary argument for bail centered on his professional dealings. He contended that he did not possess an international courier licence himself. Instead, he was operating his export business using the licence of a third party, who is listed as accused number 10 in the case. Modi asserted that the financial transactions under scrutiny were merely payments for courier services rendered by accused no. 10's firm.
He emphasized that the total value of the seized mephedrone found with the co-accused was estimated at a staggering Rs 200 crore. In contrast, the amount he had transferred via bank transaction to accused no. 10 was Rs 15 lakh, which he claimed was a standard business charge.
Court's Observations and Reasoning for Bail
A bench presided over by Justice Shivkumar Dige delivered the bail order on January 6, 2026. The court observed that to demonstrate the applicant's involvement in the crime, substantive evidence was required.
Justice Dige, referring to the FIR and documents on record, made several key observations:
- No call records were produced to show that Modi was in contact with the co-accused at the time of the incident.
- The applicant had been in custody for 1 year and 4 months, and the conclusion of the trial might take considerable further time.
- An amount of Rs 21 lakh was sent by Modi in the name of the firm of accused no. 10, and Rs 15 lakh was transferred to the personal bank account of accused no. 10.
- The airway bill on record showed that cargos had been booked, indicating business activity.
- Modi had no prior criminal record (no criminal antecedents).
The bench noted that Modi ran Express Hub International and Cargo, while accused no. 10 also operated an international courier firm. It acknowledged the contention that the transferred amounts were for courier charges, as Modi lacked his own international licence, and the transactions were conducted through official bank channels.
Considering these factors, the court concluded that Modi deserved to be released on bail, paving the way for his release after over a year in judicial custody in the high-profile drug seizure case.
