- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 4530 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: JOHN MATHEW S/O.JOHN BABU, AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS, R/A.NO.46, HENNURU MAIN ROAD, SONNAPPA LAYOUT, NEAR GOOD YEAR SCHOOL, BENGALURU. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. G RAKESH RAJ., ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH SAMPIGEHALLI POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA COMPLEX, BENGALURU 560 001 …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV., ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO Digitally signed by JUANITA THEJESWINI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 ENLARGE HIM ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.24/2026 REGISTERED BY RESPONDENT-SAMPIGEHALLI POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, FOR THE OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION. 8(c), 22(c) OF NDPS ACT, PENDING BEFORE IN THE COURT OF THE XXXIV ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPECIAL JUDGE, (NDPS), (CCH -35), BENGALURU AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused No.2 in Crime No.24/2026 registered by Sampigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru, for offences punishable under Sections 8(c), 22(C) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor on behalf of the respondent-State. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 3. FIR in the present case was registered in Crime No.24/2026 by Sampigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid offences against one Gokul and the petitioner herein based on first information dated 21.01.2026 received from Manjunath, Police Officer attached to Sampigehalli Police Station. During the course of investigation of the said case, contraband article allegedly MDMA totally weighing 15.96 gms. was recovered from accused Nos.1 and 2. Petitioner who was arrested on 21.01.2026 has been remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.977/2026 was rejected. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Material on record would go to show that based on credible information received, the first informant and his staff member had apprehended accused Nos.1 and 2 on 21.01.2026 and from their custody, contraband article allegedly MDMA totally weighing 15.96 gms. was recovered and seized under the mahazar. The seized - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 contraband article was subsequently forwarded to Forensic Science Laboratory for chemical examination. 5. Learned Additional State Public Prosecutor has submitted that the contraband article has tested negative to the drug known as MDMA and has tested positive to the drug known as methamphetamine. 15.96 gms. of methamphetamine is considered as intermediate quantity under the relevant notification issued under the provisions of NDPS Act. It is not in dispute that petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. Accused No.1 who was arrested in the present case along with the petitioner has been granted regular bail by the co-ordinate bench of this Court in Crl.Petn. No.5560/2026 by order dated 29.04.2026. 6. Under the circumstance, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following:- - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 ORDER The Criminal petition is allowed. Petitioner/Accused No.2 is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.24/2026 registered by Sampigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru, for offence punishable under Section 8(c), 22(C) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, subject to the following conditions; a) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; b) The petitioner shall appear regularly on all the date of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; c) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27067 CRL.P No. 4530 of 2026 e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed of. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE JT/- CT:JL