APHC010649892025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] TUESDAY, THE THIRD DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12504/2025 Between: 1. BANGARI SIVA, DANIMIREDDI VEEDHI,NARSIPATNAM, ANAKAPALLE DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, represented by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of A.P., Amaravathi ...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 release the petitioner/Accused No. 4 on bail in connection with Crime No.102 of 2025 of Makavarapalem Police Station Anakapalli District and pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. PARDHA SARADHI A V Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12504/2025 ORDER: This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the BNSS, has been filed by the petitioner herein/Accused No.4, seeking regular bail, in Crime No.102 of 2025 of Makavarapalem Police Station, Anakapalli District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 read with 8(C) of the NDPS Act. 2. The case of the prosecution in brief, is that, on 02.08.2025, the accused were apprehended while they were in possession of 370 Kgs of Ganja and transporting the same. The police have seized the contraband and other material under the cover of mediators’ report. 3. Heard Sri Pardha Saradhi.A.V., learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner was arrested on 02.08.2025, since then, he has been in judicial custody. The statutory period of 180 days is over. Charge sheet is not filed till date. Learned counsel for the petitioner finally prays to grant bail to the petitioner. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the prosecution has moved a petition before the Special Court for extension of time for completing investigation in this matter, which is pending for consideration 3 before the Court. The quantity of contraband involved in present crime is 370 Kgs of Ganja, which is a huge commercial quantity. The petitioner/A4 has been in judicial custody since 02.08.2025. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor finally prays for dismissal of the petition in the light of the bar under Section 37 of NDPS Act. 6. The Hon’ble Apex Court in State of Kerala v. Rajesh1 at Paragraph Nos.8, 19, 20 and 21 held as under: 8. To curb the spread of dangerous drugs, Parliament has mandated that an accused under the NDPS Act cannot be granted bail unless there are reasonable grounds to believe he is not guilty and will not commit offences while on bail. The High Court failed to justify ignoring these mandatory conditions when releasing the accused. Instead of considering the grave socio-economic and health consequences of illegal drug trafficking, the court ought to have enforced the law in the spirit intended by Parliament. 19. Section 37 imposes additional, overriding restrictions on the grant of bail, beyond those under Section 439 CrPC, through its non obstante clause. It prohibits bail unless two mandatory conditions are met: the prosecution is given an opportunity to oppose, and the court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe the accused is not guilty. If either condition is not fulfilled, the bar against granting bail applies. 20.The term “reasonable grounds” requires more than mere prima facie satisfaction; it demands substantial, probable causes showing the accused is not guilty. Such belief must arise from facts and circumstances sufficient to justify that conclusion. In the present case, the High Court overlooked the strict object of Section 37, and its liberal approach to bail under the NDPS Act was unwarranted. 21.The learned Single Judge failed to record the mandatory finding required under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, which is a sine qua non for granting bail in such cases. 7. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioner does not deserve to be released on regular bail at this stage. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. 1 (2020) 12 SCC 122 4 As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________________ DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date: 03.02.2026. UPS 5 55 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12504/2025 Dt.03.02.2026 UPS