The Bombay high court has permitted the provisional release of 200kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride seized from Supriya Lifescience
Customs seized the consignment under Section 42 of the NDPS Act. They were subsequently arrested on allegations of attempting to export Ketamine without a valid authorisation. The court observed that the goods were never actually exported during the period when the authorisation had expired and that the company subsequently obtained a fresh authorisation from the competent authority. The court held that, in the peculiar facts, the delay in obtaining the authorisation was technical and permitted provisional release. The court clarified that the Customs authorities could continue adjudication and criminal proceedings in accordance with law.
The high court noted that the company had previously exported Ketamine with valid authorisations and that the fresh batch had been arranged following the buyer’s query.
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has allowed the provisional release of 200kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride, worth Rs 72 lakh, which was seized by Customs from pharmaceutical company Supriya Lifescience Ltd. , after holding that the delay in obtaining a fresh export authorisation was technical in the peculiar facts of the case.