Panaji: A Goa court on Friday rejected the fresh bail application of Israeli national Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, an accused in an NDPS case being investigated by the Anti-Narcotic Cell (ANC) of the Goa Police.
The Principal District and Sessions Court, North Goa, at Merces, also ordered the issuance of a non-bailable warrant against the accused, according to police.
The fresh bail plea was filed following an order of the Bombay High Court at Goa dated July 14, 2026, which had set aside an earlier order of the Sessions Court granting bail to Atala.
The High Court had directed Atala to appear before the trial court and file a fresh bail application within a week. It had also directed the Sessions Court to decide the plea within a month.
The High Court had temporarily extended Atala’s liberty, as he was already on bail, until the Sessions Court decided his fresh application.
The State, represented by the ANC, opposed the fresh bail plea and cited the seriousness of the alleged narcotics offences, the accused’s antecedents, and his previous involvement in criminal, drug-related, and overstay cases.
The prosecution argued that the accused’s antecedents and the circumstances emerging from the investigation had to be considered while deciding his plea. It also raised concerns about the possibility of him evading the process of law and stressed the need to secure his presence during the trial.
The prosecution further submitted that offences involving narcotic drugs have wider ramifications for society, particularly for the younger generation, and therefore require careful consideration while deciding bail applications.
After hearing both sides and considering the material placed before it, the Sessions Court rejected Atala’s fresh bail application on Friday.
With the rejection of the fresh bail plea, the interim protection extended by the High Court pending the Sessions Court’s decision also came to an end, in accordance with the High Court’s order.
The case relates to the seizure of narcotic substances by the ANC, which had opposed the accused’s release on bail.
The development comes as the Goa Police ANC continues to pursue cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and oppose bail applications in alleged drug-related offences.
