In Brief
Varinder Kumar was apprehended in 1995 carrying charas in gunny bags. The trial court acquitted him for procedural violations, but the High Court reversed this and convicted him under the Narcotic Drugs Act for 20 years. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction, finding no violation of witness or sealing requirements. It also addressed whether the rule from Mohan Lal (that informant and investigator must be different) should apply to cases tried before that judgment. Held: prospective overruling applies. Pending trials before the Mohan Lal judgment shall continue under individual facts, balancing accused and prosecution rights without reopening settled cases. Appeal dismissed.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.