APHC010258832026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY,THE SEVENTH DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: Between: 1. PEDDIPAGA SRIKANTH, ,S/O. RAMASWAMI, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS,R/O. H. NO. 16 GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT, A.P. 2. KARUMURI JOSHEP THAMBI, ,S/O. EMMANNIELU, AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS,R/O. H. NO. 16 GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT, A.P. 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati. Petition under Section 437/43 praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Courtpleased to enlarge the Petitioners/Accused No.1, 2 on bail pending disposal of Crime No.24/2026 of K.D. Peta P Anakapalli District Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. GOLLAPALLI MAHESWARA RAO Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY,THE SEVENTH DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4101/2026 PEDDIPAGA SRIKANTH, ,S/O. RAMASWAMI, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS,R/O. H. NO. 16-6-16, CHRISTIANPET, KOTHAPET POST,OLD GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT, A.P. KARUMURI JOSHEP THAMBI, ,S/O. EMMANNIELU, AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS,R/O. H. NO. 16-43/2, CHRISTIANPET, KOTHAPET POSTOLD GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT, A.P. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh 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 Courtpleased to enlarge the Petitioners/Accused No.1, 2 on bail pending disposal of Crime No.24/2026 of K.D. Peta P Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): GOLLAPALLI MAHESWARA RAO Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH [3396] THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA PEDDIPAGA SRIKANTH, ,S/O. RAMASWAMI, AGED ABOUT 19 16, CHRISTIANPET, KOTHAPET POST,OLD KARUMURI JOSHEP THAMBI, ,S/O. EMMANNIELU, AGED ABOUT 20 CHRISTIANPET, KOTHAPET POSTOLD ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by its Public ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT 8/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Courtpleased to enlarge the Petitioners/Accused No.1, 2 on bail pending disposal of Crime No.24/2026 of K.D. Peta P.S., THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4101/2026 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 of Crime No.24/2026 of K.D. Peta P.S., Anakapalli District, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 20 (b)(ii)(b), 25 r/w 8(c)of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short “NDPS Act”). 2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 21.04.2026 at 10.00 hours near the PHC on the outskirts of A.L.Puram Village, Golugonda Mandal, anakalaplli district, the police apprehended the accused in the presence of secured mediators, seized one kg of liquid ganja contained in a luggage bag along with one KTM bike bearing registration No.AP 40 EE 1808 and two vivo Android Mobile Phones, under the cover of a mediators report. 3. Heard Sri G. Maheswara Rao, learned counsel for the petitioners, and Mrs. K. Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor representing the State. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners have been falsely implicated in the present crime and that they are no way connected with the alleged offence. He further submits that the petitioners have been in judicial custody since 21.04.2026 and that the contraband allegedly seized, i.e., 1 kilograms of liquid ganja, constitutes a non-commercial quantity. Learned counsel also submits that the petitioners are the sole breadwinners of their respective families and undertakes that the petitioners will abide by any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. 5. Per contra, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that the petitioners were apprehended while in conscious possession of the contraband. She further submits that the investigation is still pending and the statutory period for completion of investigation has not yet expired. Therefore, she prayed for dismissal of the petition. 6. Having considered the submissions made by both sides and upon perusal of the material available on record, this Court finds that though the contraband involved in the present case is 01 kilogram of liquid ganja, which is a non-commercial quantity, the investigation is still pending and the statutory period has not yet been completed. At this stage, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioners on bail. 7. Further, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the opinion that there are no reasonable grounds at this stage to believe that the petitioners are not guilty of the alleged offence or that they would not commit a similar offence if released on bail. Therefore, this Court does not find any merit in the present Criminal Petition. 8. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. __________________________________________ DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date: 07.05.2026 KKV 80 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4101/2026 Date: 07.05.2026 KKV