APHC010191642026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY SECOND DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2918/2026 Between: 1. KATAKAM RAJESH, S/O. SRINIVASA RAO, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, DAILY WAGE WORKER, R/O. D.NO.22-7-115, BESTHAVARI STREET, LALAPET, GUNTUR BAZAR, GUNTUR - 522 002 ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, TENALI RURAL P.S., REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF A.P., 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 direct the Respondent Police to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.5 on bail in the event of his arrest in connection with Crime No.168/2023 of Tenali Rural Police Station and to pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. VENKATA DURGA RAO ANANTHA Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2918/2026 ORDER : The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity „the BNSS‟) by the Petitioner/Accused No.5 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No.168/2023 of Tenali Rural Police Station, registered for the alleged offence punishable under Sections 8(C) r/w 20(b)(ii)(B) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (for short “NDPS Act”). 2. Heard Mr. Venkata Durga Rao Anantha, learned counsel for the petitioner and Ms.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor representing on behalf of the State. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petition may be disposed of by granting liberty to the petitioner to surrender before the learned Jurisdictional Magistrate and to move a regular bail application, and that a direction may be issued to dispose of the said application as expeditiously as possible. 4. The learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the Court may pass appropriate orders. 5. Considering the submissions made, the Criminal Petition is disposed of giving liberty to the petitioner/accused No.5 to surrender before the learned Jurisdictional Court concerned within one (01) week from the date of receipt of 3 copy of this order, and move an appropriate application before the learned Jurisdictional Court concerned. The learned Jurisdictional Court concerned is directed to dispose of the said application in accordance with law, on its own merits by giving due and sufficient opportunity to the learned Public Prosecutor concerned, and pass appropriate orders as expeditiously as possible. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________ DR.VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA, J Date: 22.04.2026. UPS 4 122 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2918/2026 22.04.2026 UPS