The BRICS TimesThe apex court has raised alarms over foreign nationals vanishing after bail and asked the government to verify surety documents.
Court Flags Missing Foreign Nationals
The Supreme Court is worried about a dangerous trend involving foreign nationals. Many secure bail using doubtful sureties and then simply disappear. The court has asked the Union government and UIDAI for answers. They want to know the current methods for checking if surety papers are real.
Alarming Data from Agencies
The court highlighted worrying statistics from investigative agencies. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) found this issue in at least 38 cases. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) reported nine such cases. These cases mostly involve nationals from Nigeria and Nepal. They vanished after providing sureties that proved to be fake later.
Judicial Concern on Impersonation
Justices Sanjay Karol and Vipul M Pancholi expressed deep concern. They noted that impersonation by sureties “appears to be rampant” in some states. The bench pointed out gaps in the system. These gaps allow trial courts to accept fabricated identities without proper checks.
Technology and Justice
The bench observed that this issue hurts the criminal justice process. This is critical in cases involving serious crimes. The court said it is vital to check existing tech tools. They need to see if the NIC’s surety verification module works properly.
The Case of the Missing Accused
This matter came up during a DRI case involving heroin seizure. The prosecution named Chidiebere Kingsley Nawchara as an accomplice in the 4.9 kg heroin case. The Bombay High Court gave him bail in May 2025. The reason cited was his “long incarceration” of more than two years.
Failed Efforts to locate Accused
The Union of India challenged this bail order. The Supreme Court stayed the bail in September. They told the Maharashtra police to arrest him. They also suggested issuing lookout circulars. But by October, the accused had vanished. The FRRO could not track him despite efforts.
The Fake Surety Investigation
The court asked authorities to find the surety who guaranteed his bail. The DRI filed an affidavit that shocked the court. Every detail given by the surety was false. Officers visited the address in Parel. No such person lived there. Even the neighbors had never heard of him.
Systemic Failure Revealed
The investigation went deeper into the surety’s background. The listed employer confirmed in writing that no such person worked there. Even the bank account provided was non-existent. The DRI has now asked the trial court to forfeit the bond. They also want to question the advocate involved.
Expanding the Scope
The bench noted this is a “serious issue concerning the manner in which courts are accepting sureties” across India. Additional Solicitors General SV Raju and S Dwarakanath briefed the court. They said multiple agencies face this problem. Foreign nationals often vanish due to weak verification processes.
Involvement of UIDAI
To fix this, the bench has added UIDAI as a respondent. The court wants to know if systems exist to verify Aadhaar details on surety bonds. They also issued notice to the advocate who handled the papers. The court demanded a report from the trial judge on the procedure followed.
Next Steps in December
The Supreme Court ordered immediate communication of this order to the trial judge. The matter is listed for further hearing on December 17, 2025. All parties must file written submissions on these major issues.
