The Supreme Court has ordered stricter bail conditions for foreign nationals accused in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, amid concerns over fake sureties. Issuing a slew of directions in this regard, a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Augustine George Masih today said, foreign nationals released on bail must deposit their passports with the jurisdictional court adding that they cannot travel outside India without prior permission.
The Apex Court said, such accused must also register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within one week of release. The Court directed that they must normally provide two sureties for the same amount as the bail bond. The Court said, even if the residential address of an accused and other contact information etc. within India was verified during the course of investigation, the same shall be re-verified, physically, within three days of the order granting bail. It said, that the accused must also provide an affidavit on their source of income or funds in India and details of their bank accounts, if any.
The court further directed authorities to create a central database containing details of foreign accused and their sureties. It said officials involved in verifying sureties, both central and state, could face departmental inquiry if the sureties are later found to be fake.
The Supreme Court was hearing an NDPS case involving foreign national Chidiebere Kingsley Nawchara, who secured bail and later went on the run.
