Frenchman claims he is HIV+, seeks bail

The Delhi High Court has asked the Tihar jail authorities to file the medical report of a French national, an accused in a hashish smuggling case, who has sought bail on the ground that he is HIV positive.

Justice Manmohan, in a recent order, asked the jail authorities to take Julin, 32, to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for a check up. The Judge, however, declined to grant him bail on medical grounds at this stage and posted the matter for July 3.

Julin, who has been in jail since February last year, was arrested along with two Indians from a restaurant here on the charges of smuggling the contraband and booked under the NDPS Act.

Following an interrogation by a team of Narcotic Control Bureau of the Delhi Police, a consignment 1,210 Kg hashish was recovered from a godown in Narela was to be sent to Canada, as per the prosecution.

Appearing for police, counsel Rajesh Manchanda has opposed the bail plea of the accused and said "this is the country's biggest hashish smuggling case and the accused should not be released on the medical ground."