PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday dismissed the bail application of Israeli national Yaniv Benaim, alias Atala, in an NDPS case, accepting the prosecution’s submission that the trial would be concluded within four months.
Atala had approached the High Court challenging the rejection of his bail application. During an earlier hearing, the court had also directed the Goa police to extend all possible assistance to him in renewing his expired passport, after his prolonged stay in India without valid travel documents came up for discussion.
The police had questioned his continued illegal stay in India, arguing that he had failed to apply for passport renewal despite being aware that the document had expired. His lawyer, however, informed the court that Atala was taking steps to renew his passport and sought the authorities’ assistance in the process.
Atala had surrendered before the trial court after his bail was cancelled on September 16. He had been absconding after the North Goa Special NDPS Court rejected his fresh bail application in the 2025 drug case and issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
