On 30 June 2026 the Jharkhand High Court set aside a 2009 conviction for possessing about 11 kg of what police called ganja, because the forensic report said the material was bhang. The court held that bhang is not ‘cannabis (hemp)’ under section 2(iii) of the NDPS Act, which names charas, ganja and their mixtures but not the leaves. It followed rulings from Karnataka, Punjab and Haryana, Bombay and Rajasthan; the judgment turned on the NDPS definition and did not rule on state excise law.[1][2]
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References
- LiveLaw — Bhang doesn't fall within definition of ‘cannabis (hemp)’ under NDPS Act: Jharkhand High Court, 4 July 2026Report and judgment summary
- Sunil Kumar Singh v State of Jharkhand, Cr. Appeal (S.J.) No. 726 of 2009Judgment, paras 1–12 and operative order
Checked. The date and the event were compared with a source that was read.