In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal for bail by Harpreet Singh Talwar, an accused in India's largest heroin smuggling case (value: INR 21,000+ crores). Though no heroin was directly recovered from his consignment, the Court held that in conspiracy cases, absence of direct seizure is not dispositive where evidence shows coordinating conduct—including meetings with foreign syndicates, creation of shell companies, false documentation, and telephonic coordination with co-conspirators. The Court emphasised the sophisticated, transnational nature of the operation and concerns about witness tampering, rejecting claims that allegations amounted to terror financing without clear evidence. The accused was permitted to renew his bail plea after six months or substantial trial advancement.
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