APHC010516212026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] TUESDAY, THE 6th DAY OF OCTOBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8674/2026 Between: 1. DEVELLA ALIAS DIVVELA VENKATA MAHESH, S/O SRINIVASA CHAKRAVARTHY AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O FLAT NO404, 2 FLOOR,SRIRAMPURAM NEAR CHINA MASJID, NEAR ST. ANNS SCHOOL,PRAKASH NAGAR, NARASARAOPET, PALNADU DISTRICT-522601. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, ,Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh, AmaravathiThrough S.H.O, Chilakaluripet Town Police Station,Palnadu District-522616. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. SOURI BABU DUPPATI Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: 2 ORDER: Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), seeking to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail in Crime No.143 of 2026 of Chilakaluripet Town Police Station, Palnadu District, registered for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 8(c) read with 22(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity ‘the NDPS Act’). 2. Mr. Souri Babu Duppati, learned Counsel for the Petitioner submits that the Petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and has been falsely implicated by the police. It is further submitted that the Petitioner is the sole earning member of the family and, therefore, his incarceration would cause undue hardship to his dependents. The Petitioner undertakes to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. Hence, it is urged to allow the Petition. 3. Per contra, Mr.A.Sai Rohith, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Petitioner and submitted that, though the Charge Sheet has already been filed, the accusations against the Petitioner are well‑founded. Hence, it is urged to dismiss the Criminal Petition. 4. Heard the learned Counsel for the Petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 5. On perusal of the record, the Petitioner is arraigned as Accused No.1 in this case. This Court, in Crl.P.No.7683 of 2026, vide order dated 10.09.2026, 3 enlarged Accused No.3 on bail in this crime. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 and Accused No.2 were arrested on the spot while they were found in conscious possession of 8 grams of MDMA. This Court, in Crl.P.No.8218 of 2026, vide order dated 22.09.2026, enlarged Accused No.2 on regular bail. There are no adverse antecedents reported against the Petitioner. So far, seven material witnesses have been examined. Except for obtaining the RAL report and effecting the arrest of Accused Nos.5 and 6, the rest of the investigation has been completed. 6. The Petitioner was arrested on 22.06.2026 and has been in judicial custody for the past 106 days. He is a permanent resident of Narasaraopet, Palnadu District. He has got fixed abode. After thorough investigation, charge sheet has been filed on 16.09.2026. If the Petitioner is enlarged on bail, he would cooperate with the learned Trial Court for the expeditious disposal of the case. 7. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the allegations leveled against the Petitioner/Accused No.1, this Court is inclined to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail, subject to the following stringent conditions: i. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall be enlarged on bail subject to his executing a bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand Only) with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Chilakaluripet. 4 ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall appear before the learned Trial Court on each and every adjournment without fail and cooperate for the expeditious completion of the trial. iii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not leave the limits of the Andhra Pradesh without prior permission from the learned Trial Court. iv. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future. v. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court. vi. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall surrender his passport, if any, to the Investigating Officer. If he claims that he does not have passport, he shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the Investigating Officer. 8. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 06.10.2026 PRA 5 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITIONNo.8674 of 2026 Date:06.10.2026 PRA