APHC010502792026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] WEDNESDAY, THE 30th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8458/2026 Between: 1. SALAPU VARAHALU BABU, S/O. JOGARAO, AGED 39 YEARS, RESIDENT OFVEERAVILLIAGRAHARAM VILLAGE, V. MADUGULA MANDAL, ANAKAPALLI DISTRICT-531001. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Anakapalli Rural Police Station, Visakhapatnam Rep. by the Public ProsecutorHigh Court of Andhra Pradesh Amaravati, Guntur District. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. RAJESH MAJJI Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), seeking to 2 enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail in Crime No.304 of 2024 of Anakapalli Rural Police Station, Anakapalli, registered for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 read with 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity ‘the NDPS Act’). 2. Mr.Rajesh Majji, 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 is the fifth bail application filed by the Petitioner. This Court, on earlier occasions, dismissed the four bail applications. The latest one was an order dated 28.07.2026 in Crl.P.No.5996 of 2026. In the said order, there was no reference to the filing of the Charge Sheet. However, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submits that, by that day, the Charge Sheet had already 3 been filed. On perusal of the averments in the Charge Sheet, the role of the Petitioner/Accused No.1 has come to light based on the confession of Accused No.2. Except for the confession of Accused No.2 against the Petitioner/Accused No.1, there is no material available against the Petitioner. 6. The Petitioner was apprehended on 12.09.2025 and has been in judicial custody for the past 383 days. After thorough investigation, the Charge Sheet has been filed. It is alleged that Accused No.2 had dealt with 100 kgs of ganja illegally. The Petitioner is a permanent resident of Veeravilliagraharam Village, V.Madugula Mandal, Anakapalli District. He has got fixed abode. 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, and the period of incarceration undergone by the Petitioner/Accused No.1, this Court is inclined to enlarge him 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.5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakhs Only) with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned XIII Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Anakapalli. ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall appear before the learned Trial Court on each and every adjournment without fail. 4 iii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not leave the limits of the Andhra Pradesh without prior permission from the Station House Officer concerned. 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:30.09.2026 PRA 5 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITIONNo.8458 of 2026 Date:30.09.2026 PRA/VMM