Uttarakhand HC Grants Bail in Snake Venom Case

The Uttarakhand High Court has granted bail to Nitin Kumar, who was arrested for allegedly possessing 89 venomous snakes and collecting their venom illegally. Kumar had been in judicial custody since last year, facing charges under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Justice Ashish Naithani's decision came after it was argued that Kumar had a valid license for using snake venom to manufacture life-saving drugs until the end of 2023, and had applied for its renewal. The court noted issues in the license renewal process while no action was taken on Kumar's request to release the snakes.

State counsel opposed the bail, highlighting expired licenses and fatalities among the snakes in Kumar's custody. However, the court pointed out that authority delay contributed to the situation and that illegal trade allegations will be examined during the trial. Kumar is to be released on bail.

(With inputs from agencies.)