APHC010216102026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY NINETH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3296/2026 Between: 1. NAGAPURI NAGARAJU, S/O SARAYYAAGE 31 YEARS, R/O H.NO. 4- 105/1,GIRINIBAVI, THGARRI DUGGONDI, MANDAPALLEWARANGAL, PRESENTLY R/O BALAJI NAGAR, JAWAHAR NAGAR,SAMIRPET, SECURDERABAD, HYDERABAD 500087 2. THAMATHA SANJAY, S/O T.GAGAN SINGHAGE 23 YEARS, R/O D.NO. 10-3074/C,TEACHERS COLONY, MARDPALLI, SECUNDERABAD, HYDERABADPRESENTLY R/O H.NO. 8-429, BALAJI NAGAR, JAWAHAR NAGAR,SAMIRPET, SECURDERABAD, HYDERABAD 500087 ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,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 release the Petitioner/Accused Nos. 1 & 2 on bail in connection with Crime No. 24 of 2026 of Dumbriguda Police Station, Visakhapatnam Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. RAMINENI SUDHEER Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3296/2026 ORDER: This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, has been filed by the petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 2, seeking regular bail, in Crime No. 24 of 2026 of Dumbriguda Police Station, Visakhapatnam, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 20 (b)(ii)(C), 25 r/w 8(c)of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short “NDPS Act”). 2. None represented for the petitioners. The petitioners herein are the Accused Nos.1 and 2, who have been in judicial custody since 07.04.2026. Since this is a regular bail application, this Court is inclined to proceed with the matter as the right and liberty of the individual is involved. 3. The prosecution case, in brief, is that on 07.04.2026 at about 13:00 hours, the police noticed one person sitting on a motorcycle and seven others standing nearby on the road leading towards Jaipur, near Gorapur Railway Station of Dumbriguda Mandal, carrying zip bags and brown-colored packets. On seeing the police, they attempted to flee. However, upon apprehension and search, the police seized 6 kilograms of ganja from their possession. 4. Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that the contraband involved in the present case is a non-commercial quantity of 6 kilograms of Ganja and that the petitioners have been in judicial custody since 07.04.2026. The 3 petitioners were arrested while they were in possession of the contraband. She would further submit that the statutory period has not yet been completed and that the investigation is still pending. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor therefore prayed for dismissal of the petition. 5. Considering the submissions and a fair look on the material placed before this Court, though it is a case involving 6 Kgs of Ganja, which is a non- commercial quantity, since the statutory period is not yet completed and the investigation is still pending, this Court is not inclined to release the petitioners on bail at this stage. 6. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, the request of the petitioners cannot be considered at this juncture inasmuch as there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the petitioners have not indulged in the commission of the alleged offence and if the petitioners are released on bail they would not commit similar offence in future. There are no merits in the Criminal Petition for grant of bail to the petitioners. Hence, the Criminal Petition is liable to be dismissed. 7. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________________ DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date: 29.04.2026. UPS 4 16 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3296/2026 Dt.29.04.2026 UPS