X i ' \ j S' »av s tt 4t j » W IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATHI. THURSDAY, THE TWENTY SECOND DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX :PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12962 OF 2025 Between: Shaik Feroz, S/o. Althaf, Aged about 26 years, R/o. Gandhi Nagar, Vedayapalem Nellore City, SPSR Nellore District. ...Petitioner/Accused No.5 AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, Through The Station House Officer, Vedayapalem Police Station SPSR Nellore District, Represented by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati ...Respondent/Complainant Petition under Section 480 & 483 of BNSS, 2023 praying that in the circumstances stated in the memorandum of grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to enlarge the petitioner/Accused No.5 on bail in Crime No.366 of 2025 of Vedayapalem Police Station, SPSR Nellore District in the interest of justice; The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Sri Kambhampati Ramesh Babu, Advocate for the Petitioner and Public Prosecutor for the Respondent, the Court made the following; 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12962 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.5, 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, 2. the complainant/inspector of Police, Vedayapalem Police Station, Nellore, on receiving credible information about illegal sale and transportation of Ganja secured the presence of mediators and proceeded along with his staff and mediators to Donthali Adda Road Junction, Nellore - Prodalakur Main Road 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 Sri Kambhampati Ramesh Babu, learned counsel for the petitioner and Ms. K. Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor representing the respondent/State. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner did not commit any offence and he was falsely implicated in the crime. No contraband was seized from the possession of the petitioner. Basing on the false allegations, the petitioner was apprehended and remanded to judicial custody and that the petitioner is in jail since 05.09.2025. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that the case of the petitioner stands on the same footing^ as of accused Nos.2 and 5 who were already granted bail by this Court. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the earlier bail applications filed by the petitioner before the trial Court were dismissed on the ground that there are specific accusations against the petitioner and he is in possession of Ganja which is a commercial quantity and investigation is still pending. 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 6. petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and upon perusal of the 4 material on record and having regard to the change in circumstances, 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 of the period of remand undergone by the petitioner, this Court is inclined to allow the petition, subject to the following conditions: \ % i) The petitioner/Accused No.5 shall be released on bail on his executing a personal bond for Rs.20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand only) with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned I Additional District & Sessions Judge, Nellore. On release, the petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer,, concerned, once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between 10.30 a.m. and 05.00 p.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) iv) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any statements relating to this case in the social media or any other social network platform. V) 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. 5 Vi) The petitioner shall cooperate with the Investigating Agency as and when he is called for investigation purpose. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. SDI- K.J.RAJA BABU ASSISTANT REGISTRAR / //TRUE COPY/, SECTION OFFICER r To, learned 1 Additional District & Sessions Judge, Nellore. 1. The z' 2 The V Additional Judicial Magistrate of I Class Sub-Jail, Kavali, Nellore District. / House Officer, Vedayapalem Police Station SPSR / 3. The Superintendent 4. The Station Nellore District. 5. One CC to Sri. Kambhampati Ramesh Babu, Advocate [OPUC^ Public Prosecutor, High Court of AP [OUT] 6. Two CCs to 7. One spare copy f HIGH COURT Dr.VJP.J DATED:22/01/2026 ORDER CRLP.No.12962 of 2025 ALLOWED