New Delhi: 

The matter was heard by a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, representing NIA, contended that these are front people of the organisation. Still, the blood of innocent people who lost their lives in terror attacks is also on their hands.

Bhati contended that it was a test case of sending narco consignment (heroin) to India, disguised as legal imports in the form of semi-processed talc stones (a raw material having a wide range of applications).

The NIA on Wednesday in the Supreme Court opposed the bail plea of a Delhi-based businessman held in the Rs 21,000 crore Mundra port drug haul case, which has been termed as the country’s biggest drug haul. "The said semi-processed talc stones were heroin-laden stones, which were imported to India in the name of newly opened proprietor firms and shell companies, which showed these heroin-laden semi-processed talc stones as a business commodity," the NIA said in an affidavit.

The present case was pointed out to be the "largest intercepted consignment of narco-substance" being brought to India through illicit means.

Bhati called Talwar a habitual offender who was previously booked in several cases of smuggling, and there were apprehensions, if he is granted bail, that the witnesses could either be influenced or killed. Bhati cited the case of a retired customs official, who acted as facilitator at Kolkata port for the first consignment in November 2020 (about Talwar), but when he wanted to join the investigation, he was found dead (suspected suicide) in a hotel at Jungpura, New Delhi.

After hearing submissions, the bench reserved its verdict on the bail plea of Harpreet Singh Talwar alias Kabir Talwar. Talwar ran popular clubs in the national capital and was arrested by the agency in August 2022.

On September 12, 2021, some containers arrived at Mundra Port from Afghanistan via Iran, filled with bags full of semi-processed talc stones. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence checked the containers on September 13, 2021, and some of the bags were found to contain heroin, eventually leading to the recovery of 2988. 21 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore.

The counsel, appearing for Talwar, argued that there was no evidence to pin the charges of smuggling on his client and all he did was importing talc stones to India from Afghanistan. The counsel argued that none of the witnesses named his client to be involved in the conspiracy and the high court erred in not granting him bail.

Investigators later found that it was the sixth and last consignment which was intercepted. Several people, including Afghan nationals, were arrested in connection with the case.

The NIA alleged that the proceeds of this sale for all these consignments were to be used for funding terror activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

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