X IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATHI WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY FIRST DAY OF JANUARY, TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX :PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12634 OF 2025 Between: Darla Vineeth, S/o Venkateswarlu, Aged about 32 years, R/o Sri Sai Nilayam Post Office Street, Muthyalapalem, Nellore Municipal Corporation SPSR Nellore District. ...Petitioner/Accused No.2 AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravathi. ...Respondent Petition under Section 437 & 439 of Cr.P.C & New Section 480 & 483 of BNSS is filed praying that in the circumstances stated in the memorandum of grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to grant Regular Bail to the Petitioner/Accused.No.2 by enlarging him on bail in FIR.No.366 of 2025 on the file of Vedayapalem Police Station, SPSR Nellore District' The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and memorandum of grounds of criminal petition and arguments of Smt Y.L.Siva Kalpana Reddy, Advocate for the Petitioner and Public Prosecutor for the Respondent, the Court made the following; upon hearing the 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMA! PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12634 of 2025 Order: The Criminal Petition under Sections 480 and 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), has been filed by the petitioner/Accused No.2, seeking regular bail in connection with Crime No.366 of 2025 of Vedayapalem Police Station, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short 'the NDPS Act'). Case of the prosecution, in brief is that on 05.09.2025 at 21.00 hours, the complainant/inspector of Police, Vedayapalem Police Station, Nellore, on receiving credible information about illegal sale and transportationof Ganja, secured the presence of mediators and proceeded along with his staff and mediators to Donthali Adda Road Junction, Nellore - Prodalakur Main Road, 2. Nellore Rural Mandal and at the spot, at white Toyota Glanza Car bearing NO.AP39 QY 8092 was intercepted and from which Accused Nos.1 to 6 tried to fee away and they were apprehended. Accused No.7 absconded and Accused No.8 who organized the entire crime had already been apprehended and lodged in judicial remand in another crime. In total, 11 packets of Ganja weighing 23.470 KGs worth of Rs.2,50,000/-, six mobiles and a Toyota Glanza Car were seized under the cover of mahazarnama in the presence of mediators and revenue officials. Accused No.1 and 2, 3 to 6 were arrested 3 and remanded to judicial custody on 06.09.2025 and since then they are in jail. 3. Heard Y. L. Siva Kalpana Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and Ms. K. Priyanka Lakshmi, learnecHAssistant Public Prosecutor representing the respondent/state. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that earlier bail application filed by the petitioner was dismissed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in CrI.P.No.10677 of 2025, vide order dated 04.11.2025, on the grounds that the petitioners’ relatives/kith and kin had not approached this Court by filing a habeas corpus petition alleging illegal custody prior to his arrest, and further on the ground that investigation was at a progressive stage. 5. Learned counsel would further submit that accused No.7 in the same crime has approached this Court by filing Crl.P.No.10153 of 2025 seeking quashment, wherein this Court protected his liberty by directing the police not to take any coercive steps, in the event of registration of case on 26.09.2025, and that the said protection has been extended from time to time. It is further submitted that Accused No.7 also filed a Writ Petition No.24745 of 2025 complaining that, without registration of any crime against him, the police searched his house on 29.08.2025 without any information. The said writ petition was coming up for orders. Learned counsel would further submit that investigation might have 6. been completed; that no criminal cases are pending against the petitioner; and \ 4 that one earlier case registered against the petitioner for an offence under IPC was settled before Lok Adalat. It is also submitted that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 06.09.2025. In view of the above change in circumstances, particularly when Accused No.7 has been granted protection from arrest in the same crime, the petitioner seeks enlargement on regular bail. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the earlier bail 7. application was dismissed on 04.11.2025. As regards the progress of the investigation, it is submitted that the inventory has been completed, examination of witnesses is over and only the RFSL report is await. Considering the submission made by the learned counsel for the petitioner as well learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and upon perusal of the material on record, and having regard to the change in circumstances since 8. the dismissal of the earlier bail petition, particularly in view of the fact that the inventory has been completed and the crucial part of the investigation is over except for the receipt of RFSL report, and further taking into consideration that Accused No.7 has approached this Court and obtained interim protection, coupled with the fact that the enquiry regarding the alleged illegal custody of the petitioner from 29.08.2025 till the date of showing his arrest in the present crime is pending before the learned Magistrate, this Court is inclined to allow the petition, subject to the following conditions: 5 The petitioner/Accused No.2 shall be released on bail on his executing a personal bond for Rs.20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand only) with t'wo sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned I Additional District & Sessions Judge, Nellore. i) On refease, the petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer, concerned, once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between at 10.30 a.m. till filing of the charge sheet. ii) The petitioner shall deposit his pass port before the trial Court and shall not leave the jurisdiction without prior permission of the Court. iii) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any statements relating to this case in the social media or any other social network platform. iv) The petitioner 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 from disclosing such facts to the Court or to the investigating or police officer. V) The petitioner shall cooperate with the Investigating Agency as and when he is called for investigation purpose. Vi) As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. 3> SDI- K.SRINIVASA RAJU ASSISTANT R^ISTRAR SECTION OFFICER //TRUE COPY// F 'A/ % To, 1. The I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Nellore. The Superintendent, Sub Jail, Kavali, SPSR Nellore District. The Station House Officer, Vedayapalem Police Station, SPSR Nellore District. One CC to Smt Y.L.Siva Kalpana Reddy, Advocate [OPUC] Two CCs to Public Prosecutor, High Court of AP [OUT] One spare copy 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. i HIGH COURT Dr.VJP,J DATED:21/01/2026 ORDER CRLP.No.12634 of 2025 O 5 UJW® ALLOWED ★ >