APHC010186102025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3369] THURSDAY, THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE T MALLIKARJUNA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4116/2025 Between: Ashik Manikraj and Others ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. PUVVALA SRINIVASA RAO Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: ORDER: This Criminal Petition, u/Sec.480 & 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, has been filed by the petitioners/A4, A5, A8 & A9, seeking bail, in Crime No.79/2024 of Anantagiri Police Station, ASR District. 2. A case has been registered against the petitioners and others for the offence punishable u/Sec.111(2)(b) BNS, Sec.20(b)(ii)(C), 25 of NDPS Act. 3. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor representing the respondent/State. 4. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that, on 22.11.2024 at 6.00 pm, on receipt of credible information, regarding illegal possession and transportation of ganja, the S.I of Police, along with staff and mediators 2 conducted vehicle checking at main road, Visakhapatnam to Araku valley road and found two cars coming from Visakhapatnam side. On seeing police, the inmates in the cars stopped the cars and tried to escape. Then police apprehended six persons while some others escaped and on enquiry they disclosed their identity particulars as that of accused. Police found 100 kgs of ganja in their possession. Police arrested and remanded them to judicial custody and seized the contraband. They confessed the involvement of other accused in the commission of the offence. 5. Heard. Perused the record. 6. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submits that major part of the investigation is completed except filing of charge sheet for want of RFSL report and prays to dismiss the petition. 7. Learned counsel for the petitioners contend that the petitioners have been in judicial custody since 22.11.2024 and they had permanent abode and prays to allow the petition. 8. The record shows that the petitioners have been in judicial custody from 22.11.2024. The seized contraband is 100 kgs of ganja which is huge quantity. In view of bar contained under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner at this stage. 9. In the result, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. ____________________________ JUSTICE T MALLIKARJUNA RAO Dated: 24.4.2025 RD 3 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE T MALLIKARJUNA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION No.4116 of 2025 Dated: 24.4.2025 RD