Court Relief: Pharma MD Gets Bail After 22-Month Jail In Tramadol Smuggling Case
court order
Mumbai: In a major relief to the managing director of a pharmaceutical firm, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Sanagala Sridhar Reddy, who was arrested in April 2023 for allegedly exporting Tramadol Hydrochloride, an opioid pain medication, by misdeclaring it as Magnesium Citrate and Calcium Carbonate.
A single-judge bench of Justice N.J. Jamadar cited prolonged incarceration and lack of conclusive evidence while granting bail under stringent conditions.
Acting on an intelligence input, the Central Intelligence Unit (CIU) had intercepted an export consignment from Safe Formulation at the air cargo complex in Sahar on February 25, 2023. The consignment, bound for South Sudan, contained 720 kg of ‘Tamol-X-225’ (Tramadol Hydrochloride) falsely labeled as Magnesium Citrate and Calcium Carbonate.
The managing director of Safe Formulation Pvt Ltd, Sanagala Sridhar Reddy, was indicted in the case as he was responsible for manufacturing and shipping decisions related to Tramadol.
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Advocate Kushal Mor, representing Reddy, argued that his indictment was based on assumptions and that he had obtained the necessary government approvals, including a license to possess narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. He also emphasized Reddy’s prolonged incarceration, noting that he had been in custody since April 20, 2023.
As per a recent media report in HT, the Court examined Reddy’s role, stating that his alleged involvement was based on his knowledge of the illegal export. However, considering his extended incarceration, the court granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs1 lakh with one or two sureties in the same amount. Subsequently, the court noted;
"Having regard to the nature of accusation, number of accused and number of witnesses, which the prosecution may be required to examine, it is extremely unlikely that the trial can be concluded within a reasonable period. Thus, this incarceration of 22 months, without a realistic prospect of conclusion of the trial in near future, also weighs in."
