500 kg drug case: Accused challenges arrest, Delhi HC judge recuses

An accused in a 500 kg drug haul case has challenged his arrest before the Delhi High Court. A judge recused himself from the hearing. The plea, filed by Ritik Bajaj, alleges illegal detention and seeks quashing of remand orders.

An accused in more than 500 kg drug haul case has challenged his arrest his custody before the Delhi High court. A High court judge recused self from the hearing and renotified the matter tomorrow before another bench. Justice Prateek Jalan recused from hearing the plea moved on behalf of Accused Ritik Bajaj who was repatriated from Dubai in December 2025. The matter has been listed for hearing on Wednesday before another bench. Advocate Prabhav Ralli appeared for Ritik Bajaj.

Plea Alleges Illegal Detention

A plea seeking quashing and setting aside of the Police Remand Order dt. 23.01.2026 & the order of 28.01.2026 passed by the Ld. Special Judge (NDPS), Tis Hazari Courts, and for declaring the Petitioner's continued detention as illegal and unconstitutional.

It is alleged that the Petitioner was illegally arrested on 23.12.2025 and was produced before the Special Judge NDPS, and was illegally remanded to Police Custody and subsequently, to Judicial Custody vide orders of 26.12.2025 & 09.01.2026 till 23.01.2026.

The counsel for petitioner has also alleged at on 23.01.2026, no Application for extension of Judicial remand was filed before the Special Judge, nor was the Petitioner produced before the Spl. Judge, and consequently no judicial order was passed extending the judicial custody of the Petitioner beyond 23.01.2026.

The Petitioner therefore being in illegal custody since 24.01.2026 was constrained to file a Habeas Corpus petition for his immediate release from illegal custody. The habeas Corpus plea has been disposed of on Tuesday while giving liberty to raise the contention before the single judge. The court also noted that police said that accsued was arrested and produced before the court. Therefore his whereabouts are known.

On 02.10.2024, an FIR was registered by the Special Cell under Sections 8, 20, 21, 25, 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985 against certain co-accused persons. It is pertinent to note that the Petitioner was neither named in the FIR nor arraigned as an accused. No recovery of the alleged substance has been effected from the Petitioner, the plea said.

It is also stated that the Petitioner was illegally arrested by the Agency in India and was subsequently produced before the Trial Court on 23.12.2025 and the Trial Court without satisfying itself as to legality of the arrest, illegally remanded the Petitioner to 3 days Police Custody, the plea submitted. (ANI)

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