Doniyar Vildanov v. State of U.P., 2026 INSC 95 - NDPS Act -Concurrent Conviction Set Aside

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 - A Russian national, Doniyar Vildanov, was convicted by the Sessions Court and his conviction was affirmed by the High Court for allegedly smuggling 1.9 kg of charas from Nepal into India, based on a search by Sashastra Seema Bal and local police near the Indo‑Nepal border. The Supreme Court found serious inconsistencies in the prosecution case, including the sequence of search and seizure under the NDPS Act, the absence of proper endorsement of the accused’s entry into India in his passport, irregularities in the consent letter, and unexplained facts such as his missing pet dog and the non‑mention of the bag in the recovery memo. Holding that the mandatory safeguards for search and seizure were not complied with and that reasonable doubt existed, the Court set aside the conviction and sentence, acquitted the accused, and ordered his immediate release and return of his original passport.