Regular bail in customs gold recovery matter granted as investigation ended and continued detention was found unnecessary.

Regular bail was granted in a Customs Act matter involving recovery of foreign-origin gold, where the applicants were in custody, investigation had been completed and the complaint filed, but charges were yet to be framed. The Court did not decide at the bail stage whether the alleged offence fell within the bailable or non-bailable part of the customs provision, and left the admissibility of statements recorded under the Customs Act to trial. It held that further detention was unnecessary because the trial was likely to take time and the principal witnesses were DRI officials, reducing the immediate risk of interference.

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Issues: Whether the applicants, in a case involving recovery of foreign-origin gold and allegations under the Customs Act, 1962, were entitled to regular bail.

Analysis: The applicants were in custody, the investigation stood completed, and the complaint had been filed, but charges had not yet been framed. The question whether the alleged offence fell within the bailable or non-bailable part of the customs provision was not decided at the bail stage. The admissibility of statements recorded under the Customs Act was also left for trial. On the facts, the Court found that continued detention was not necessary for any useful purpose, particularly as the trial was likely to take time and the material witnesses were officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, reducing the immediate risk of their being influenced.

Conclusion: Regular bail was granted to the applicants.

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