Selladore Vijaya Laxshmi vs The Attorney General – CA BAIL/0061/2023-2023

In the case between the Petitioner (mother of the 1st Accused) and the Respondents (Attorney General’s Department, Police Narcotics Bureau, and the 1st Accused — Selladore Ravi Kumar), the court examined whether exceptional circumstances justified the grant of bail under Section 83(2) of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act No. 41 of 2022, particularly in relation to the prolonged period of remand exceeding eight years. The holding established that a lengthy remand alone does not constitute an exceptional circumstance for bail in drug-related offences involving substantial quantities. The principle reaffirmed is that, notwithstanding delays, the seriousness and quantity attributed to the offence warrant continued custody, with judicial discretion being narrowly confined