Supreme Court of India|Monday, 23 February 2026
SC Upholds Conviction of Amad Noormamad Bakali for Smuggling Under Customs Act
Bench
VN
Vikram Nath
Vikram Nath
SC Upholds Conviction of Amad Noormamad Bakali for Smuggling Under Customs Act (2026) held that The reliance on confessional statements under Section 108 of the Customs Act can be sufficient for conviction if corroborated by other evidence.
The case involves Amad Noormamad Bakali and others who were convicted under the Customs Act for smuggling foreign wrist watches into India. The prosecution's case was based on the recovery of the smuggled goods and confessional statements from co-accused, which the appellants contested as insufficient evidence. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision affirming the convictions, emphasizing the sufficiency of the evidence presented. The court also noted procedural aspects regarding the appeals and the status of the appellants during the proceedings.
The reliance on confessional statements under Section 108 of the Customs Act can be sufficient for conviction if corroborated by other evidence.
The court affirmed that the recovery of smuggled goods constitutes a strong basis for establishing the involvement of accused in smuggling activities.
The court highlighted the importance of procedural adherence in criminal appeals, particularly regarding the status of the appellants.
Customs officers conducted a search and recovered smuggled wrist watches.
Criminal complaint filed against the accused.
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Trial court convicted the accused and sentenced them.
High Court dismissed the revisions against the trial court's conviction.
Final judgment delivered by the Supreme Court.
