APHC010679532025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] FRIDAY,THE SECOND DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12963/2025 Between: CHOPPA RAMBABU @ NANI, S/O MUSALI NAIDU, AGED 28 YEARS, C/YADEAVA, RESIDING AT H.NO.3-414, H.B. COLONY, SPINNING MILL COLONY,LALACHERUVU DISTRICT RAJANAGARAM MANDAL, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT. (A-1) ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED No.1 AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Judicature of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: KOPPISETTI PARVATI DEVI Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.12963 of 2025 Dated 02.01.2026 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 enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail in Crime No.174 of 2025 of Prakash Nagar Police Station, East Godavari District, registered against the Petitioner/Accused No.1 herein for the offences punishable under Section 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity ‘the NDPS Act’). 2. Ms. Koppisetti Parvati Devi, the learned Counsel for the Petitioner, submits that the Petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and he has been falsely implicated in the alleged offence, without any cogent evidence linking him to the commission of the crime. It is contended that the Petitioner is the sole breadwinner of the family and his arrest would cause undue hardship and prejudice to his dependents. The Petitioner undertakes to abide by any conditions that this Court may impose while granting bail to the Petitioner. 3. It is further submitted that the Petitioner has a permanent place of residence and there is no likelihood of his absconding or evading the process of law. The Petitioner has cooperated with the investigation thus 3 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.12963 of 2025 Dated 02.01.2026 far and assures continued cooperation in future proceedings, and it is urged to allow the Petition. 4. Per contra, Ms.P.Akhila Naidu, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor strenuously opposed to grant of bail and prosecution further apprehend that the Petitioner, if released, may influence or intimidate witnesses, thereby obstructing the course of justice. It is also urged that there exists a real and imminent risk of the Petitioner absconding and evading the due process of law. Given the gravity of the allegations and the potential threat to the progress of the investigation, it is submitted that the Petitioner does not deserve the discretionary relief of bail and it is urged to dismiss the bail petition. 5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 6. As seen from the record, the petitioner on earlier occasions indulged in an offence under the provisions of ‘the NDPS Act’ in Cr. No.302 of 2022 and also indulged in the commission of three IPC offences, and he is a rowdy sheeter. The accused No.2 is also a rowdy sheeter. So far, five witnesses are examined. The investigation is at crucial stage. It is alleged that the petitioner, with the assistance of the other accused, had indulged in dealing with 11.00 Kgs of ganja, even though it is not a commercial quantity. The investigation is still at a 4 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.12963 of 2025 Dated 02.01.2026 nascent stage and some more material witnesses are to be examined. The petitioner was arrested on 26.10.2025. He has been in judicial custody for the past 68 days only. 7. Considering the nature and gravity of the allegations levelled against the petitioner/Accused No.1 and his role allegedly played in the case, and in view of the pendency of the investigation, the request for enlarging him on bail at this point of time is not found convincing or reasonable. Hence, this Criminal Petition is liable to be dismissed. 8. In the result, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. As a sequel, Miscellaneous petitions, if any pending, shall stand closed. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date:02.01.2026 RSI 5 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.12963 of 2025 Dated 02.01.2026 114 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12963 of 2025 Date: 02.01.2026 RSI