Court Grants Bail to Pregnant Woman in Drug Case on Humanitarian Grounds

The Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench granted temporary bail to Surbhi Soni, a pregnant woman arrested in a drugs case. The court noted the adverse effects of childbirth in prison and emphasized prisoners' entitlement to dignity. Soni was found with narcotic substances, but the court prioritized humane considerations.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has granted temporary bail to Surbhi Soni, arrested in a drug-related case, on humanitarian grounds. The court emphasized the negative implications of childbirth in prison for both the mother and the child.

Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke highlighted that even prisoners are entitled to dignity, noting the psychological and physical impacts of delivering a child in a correctional facility. Soni, detained since April 2024 under the NDPS Act, was found carrying narcotics in a railway raid.

Despite the seizure of commercial quantities, the court decided that Soni's release would not hinder the investigation. Authorities argued they could ensure proper medical care within prison, yet the court chose to prioritize humane considerations over procedural constraints.

(With inputs from agencies.)