Chain of Custody Failures and Section 52-A Non-Compliance Lead to NDPS Acquittal

sketch of the Supreme Court of India
Case
ABDUL RAJIK v. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH (Supreme Court of India, 16-09-2026)
Law
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Highlights of the Judgment:

  • Examination of the chain of custody and the vital importance of unbroken link evidence for sending seized samples to the FSL under the NDPS Act.
  • Analysis of the mandatory requirements and legal consequences of total non-compliance with Section 52-A regarding drawing representative samples before a Magistrate.
  • Evaluation of the evidentiary worth of informal spot identification tests, such as burning contraband.
  • Clarification on the inapplicability of Sections 42 and 50 of the NDPS Act to open public place recoveries from bags carried by suspects.