APHC010210202026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY,THE TWENTY EIGHTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION Between: 1. ANADI SETHI, S/O BAJAYA SETHI,AGED 37 YEARS, R/O RANGINIGUDA VILLAGE,KULARASINGH PANCHAYAT, NANDAPUR MANDAL,KORAPUTTU DISTRICT, ODISHA STATE. 2. NARAYANA KHEMUDU, S/O CHENNU KHEMUDU,AGED 25 YEARS, R/O JANTAPLY CHITRAKONDAMANDAL, MALKANGIRI DISTRICT, ODISHA STATE. 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Through Station House OfficerHukumpeta Police Station,Alluri Sitharama Raju District,Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,High Court at Amaravati. Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court bail in connection with FIR No. 54 of 2025 of Hukumpeta Police Station, Alluri 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY,THE TWENTY EIGHTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3181/2026 ANADI SETHI, S/O BAJAYA SETHI,AGED 37 YEARS, R/O RANGINIGUDA VILLAGE,KULARASINGH PANCHAYAT, NANDAPUR MANDAL,KORAPUTTU DISTRICT, ODISHA STATE. NARAYANA KHEMUDU, S/O CHENNU KHEMUDU,AGED 25 YEARS, R/O JANTAPLY VILLAGE,PAPARAMETIA PANCHAYAT, CHITRAKONDAMANDAL, MALKANGIRI DISTRICT, ODISHA STATE. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Through Station House OfficerHukumpeta Police Station,Alluri Sitharama Raju District,Rep. by osecutor,High Court at Amaravati. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court Pleased to enlarge the petitioners/A bail in connection with FIR No. 54 of 2025 of Hukumpeta Police Station, Alluri IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH [3396] THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA ANADI SETHI, S/O BAJAYA SETHI,AGED 37 YEARS, R/O RANGINIGUDA VILLAGE,KULARASINGH PANCHAYAT, NANDAPUR NARAYANA KHEMUDU, S/O CHENNU KHEMUDU,AGED 25 YEARS, VILLAGE,PAPARAMETIA PANCHAYAT, CHITRAKONDAMANDAL, MALKANGIRI DISTRICT, ODISHA STATE. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Through Station House OfficerHukumpeta Police Station,Alluri Sitharama Raju District,Rep. by ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of the petitioners/A-1 & 4 on bail in connection with FIR No. 54 of 2025 of Hukumpeta Police Station, Alluri 2 Sitharama Raju District, on such terms and conditions as deemed fit and proper in the circumstances of the case Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. K JYOTHI PRASAD Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: 3 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3181/2026 ORDER : The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the Petitioner/Accused No.1 and 4 for granting bail in connection with FIR No. 54 of 2025 of Hukumpeta Police Station, Alluri Sitharama Raju District, registered for the alleged offence punishable under Section 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 r/w 8 (c) NDPSA. 2. The case of prosecution is that, the petitioners and other accused were found in possession of 1.4 kgs of liquid ganja and the police arrested the accused and seized the said contraband. 3. Heard Mr.K.Jyothi Prasad, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioners are innocents and they have been falsely implicated in the alleged offence, without any cogent evidence linking to the commission of the crime; it is contended that the petitioners are the sole breadwinners of their family and their continued incarceration would cause undue hardship and prejudice to the 4 dependents of the petitioners. The Petitioners undertakes to abide by any conditions that this Court may impose while granting bail to the Petitioners. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that charge-sheet is filed on 23.03.2026. Petitioners were indulged in dealing with 1.4 kgs of liquid ganja, which is a commercial quantity. Statutory Period is completed; It is further submitted that enlargement of the Petitioners on bail at this stage would seriously hamper the progress of the investigation and may result in non cooperation from the Petitioners. There is prima facie case established against the petitioner. She would further submit that this is a second bail application filed by the petitioner. The earlier bail application was dismissed by this Court vide in Crl.P.No.721 of 2026 by this Court vide Order dated 09.02.2026. She would further submit that there is no change of circumstances from the date of dismissal of earlier bail application. She finally prays for dismissal of the petition. 6. Considering the submissions and on perusal of the material on record and in view of the nature and gravity of the offence alleged against the petitioner, since there is no change of circumstances from the date of 5 dismissal of the earlier bail application, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner/accused No.1 and 4 on bail at this stage. 7. Accordingly, this Criminal petition is dismissed. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________ DR.VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA, J Date: 28.04.2026 KKV 6 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3181/2026 28.04.2026 KKV