Supreme Court orders Maharashtra police to arrest Nigerian drug accused, trace sureties

The Union of India appealed against the grant of bail to a Nigerian national accused of smuggling 4935 grams of heroin under the NDPS Act, raising concerns about the validity of the sureties provided and the accused's subsequent untraceability.

Who it concerns: Appellant: Union of India; Respondent: Chidiebere Kingsley Nawchara; Judge: Justice Sanjay Karol.

What the court decided

• The Court directed the Director-General of Police for Maharashtra to arrest the respondent-accused and contact the Nigerian Embassy to secure his presence for trial.
• The Court directed steps to be taken against the persons who had acted as sureties for the respondent-accused.
• The Court noted that the respondent-accused was untraceable and that a look-out notice had been issued.

Also in the document

• The judgment is marked as 'REPORTABLE'.
• The Court described the findings regarding the sureties and the accused's status as 'deeply unsettling'.
• The document text provided is truncated and does not contain the final operative orders or the closing date of the proceedings.