IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMA THURSDAY, THE TENTH DAY OF JULY, TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE :PRESENT: HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE I MALLIKARJUNA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 6656 OF 2025 i- Betwee n : E== Merugu Sadaiah, s/o Sivaiah, Agecl about 47 years. Cultivation, R/o D.No. 5- 55, R/o Kothapalli Village, Palakurthi, Peddapalli District, Telangana State. ...Petitioner/Accused No.1 I, AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, Represented by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Ama!-avathi. Through, Station House Officer, Mothugudem Police Station, Mothugiudem, AIIuri Sitarama Raju District ...Respondent/Complainant Petition under Section 48'0 & 483 of BNSS (Old Sectl-ons 437 & 439 of Cr.P.C), praying that in the circumstances stated in the memorandum of grounds filed in support of the, Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to enlarge the Petition6r herein on bail in Crime No. 2 of 2025 of Mothugudem Police Station, AIluri Sitarama Raju District in the interests of justice. Counsel forthe Petitioner : Sri Chandra Sekhar llapakurti counsel for the Respondemt : Public Prosecutor. The Court made the following ` - ORDER: ORDER: This Criminal,Petition under Sections 480 and 483 of B.N,S.S., has been filed by the petitioner/A1, seeking regular bail in Cr.No.2/2025 of Moothugudem Police Station, A,S.R. District. 2. The above said crime was registered against the petitioner herein and others for the offence punishable u/See. 8(c) I/w 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act, 3. The case of the prosecution in nutshell is that on 26.01.2025 a{ about 14:15 hoursJ near Mothugudem Police Station, Chintoor Mandal, a case of illegal possession and transporfa{ion of ganja for wrongful gain was reported. During vehicle checking, the Sub-Inspector of Mothugudem Police Station intercepted two vehicles, a Maruti Ertiga bearing No.TS 22 4715 and an Ashok Leyland Van bearing No.TG 22 T IOO3, coming from Donkarai side. Accused Nos.1 and 3 to 7 were apprehended while allegedly transporting 126 kgs of ganja in five plastic bags, valued at Rs|6,30,OOO/-, from Pedagandi Village in GK Veedhi Mandal to Peddapalli District, Telangana. Accused No.5, Gurram Suresh, was identified as the source and transporter, while Accused No.6 and No.7 were consumers. Accused No.2 remains absconding. The police seized the contraband along with seven touchpads, two keypad mobiles, and Aadhar card Xerox copies from the accused. A case was registered accordingly, and the arrested persons were remanded to judicial custody. -I. >~ <:.- 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner is in judicial custody from 27.01.2025 and most of the investigation is completed. He further,submitted that he filed copy of bail orders relating to A3, A5, A6 and A7 to show that they were enlarged on bail. lt is submitted that even after expiry of the statutory period, police have not filed charge sheet. As such, the petitioner is entitled for'statutory bail. 5. On the other hand, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor also confirms non-filing of charge sheet by the police even after statutory period is completed, but opposed to grant bail. 6. Heard both sides. 7. Given that the petitioner has been in remand since 27.01.2025, this court views that most of the investigation concerning the petitionerJs role in the commission of the alleged c,ffence has likely been concluded. lt has been submitted that the petitioner had permanent residence and there is no credible apprehension of their fleeing away from justice. Additionally, since most of the witnesses are official, the release of the petitioner would not impede the investigation or tamper with the evidence and also after completion of statutory period, police have not fi'ied charge sheet. Hence, this court found that the petitioner is en{i.fled for statutory bail. c'--` qte` t==-_ 8. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner/Al with the following conditions. (i) The petitioner/Al herein shall be released on his executing a personal bond for Rs.25,000/-(Rupees twenty five thousand only) with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial First Class Magistrate, Rampachodavaram ; (ii) On release, the petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned on every Sunday between 10.00 am and 05.00 pm till cognizance is taken by the learned the Trial Court; (iii) the petitioner shall not tamper with the evidence and hamper the investigation and shall cooperate for investigation. 9. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is allowed. //TRUE COPY// For/ Sd/-SHAIK MOHD. RAFI ASSISTANTasSTFAR SECTION OFFICER IL ToJ 1. The Judicial First class Magistrate, Ramapachodavaram. 2. The Station House Officer', Mothugudem Police Station, Mothugudem, Alluri Sitarama Raju District. 3. The Superintendent, Central Prison, Rajamahendravaram, East Godavari District. 4. One CC to Sri Chandra Sekhar llapakurti, Advocate [OPUC] 5. One spare copy CVSS _ -i=€ HIGH COURT TMR,J DATED : 10/07/2025 BAIL ORDER CRLPINo.6656 of 2025 ALLOWED