SC Grants Bail to BSF Officer Romesh Kumar in Handwara Narco-Terror Case
New Delhi, February 14, 2025: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Romesh Kumar, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Border Security Force (BSF), who was arrested in connection with the Handwara narco-terror case. Kumar, accused of colluding with drug traffickers linked to terrorist groups, had been in custody since March 2021.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that Kumar should be released on bail due to the prolonged trial process. The court noted that out of 361 prosecution witnesses, only six had been examined so far, making an early conclusion of the trial unlikely.
“The appellant was arrested on March 1, 2021, and has remained in custody since then. Given the slow pace of the trial, he should be granted bail under stringent conditions, including the deposit of his passport and regular attendance in court,” the bench stated.
Case Background
Romesh Kumar was arrested as part of an extensive investigation into cross-border drug trafficking and terror financing networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The case emerged when police intercepted a vehicle in Handwara, seizing ₹20 lakh in cash and 2 kg of heroin. Subsequent investigations linked the network to operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recovered ₹91 lakh in cash buried in a field in Samba district, allegedly linked to the smuggling operation. While an approver, Showkat Ahmed Parray, claimed that co-accused Salim had handed cash to Kumar, he admitted that he was unaware of the specific charges against the BSF officer.
Court’s Observations
The Supreme Court raised concerns over the investigation process, calling the photo identification memo “strange and doubtful.” The bench refrained from making a final ruling on the investigation’s validity but noted that no direct evidence linked the seized cash to the alleged crimes.
The court clarified that if Kumar attempts to delay the trial, the prosecution may seek the cancellation of his bail. Meanwhile, he is required to appear before the trial court within a week for formal bail proceedings.
This case marks another high-profile arrest of security personnel for alleged links with terror groups. In 2020, Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh was also arrested for aiding Hizbul Mujahideen militants.
With Kumar’s bail granted, the focus now shifts to the trial, which will determine his role in the narco-terror network. The NIA continues its probe into the larger cross-border drug and terror financing operations that have fueled militancy in the Kashmir Valley.
Stay tuned for further updates.
