APHC010289282026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] TUESDAY,THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF JUNE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4661/2026 Between: 1. LASANGI CHANTIBABU, S/O. NEELAKANTAM, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS,R/O. EGAVALASAPALLI, CHINTAPALLI,ALLURI SITHARAMA RAJU DISTRICT, A.P. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. 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 Courtmay be pleased to enlarge the petitioner /Accused No. 6 on bail pending disposal of crime No.48/2025 of chintapalli P.S Alluri sitharam raju District and to pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. BALABHADRUNI MANOHAR Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4661 /2026 ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 480 & 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the Petitioner/Accused No.6 for granting of bail in connection with Crime No.48 of 2025 of Chintapalli Police Station, Alluri Sitharama Raju District, registered for the alleged offence punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 r/w. 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the Petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. 3. The case of the prosecution is that on 06.11.2025, at about 15.30 pm on the outskirts road of Antarla village, the police have seized three gunny bags containing Ganja weighing a total of 121.380 kgs from Accused Nos.1 to 5. Basing on their confession, the police implicated the petitioner as Accused No.6 in the said crime. On 02.12.2025, the petitioner surrendered before the learned Sessions Judge, Visakhapatnam. 4. Mr. Balabhadruni Manohar, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is innocent and did not commit the alleged offence and have been falsely implicated by the police. It is the contention of learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner neither found transporting of contraband, nor found in possession of contraband nor did he escape from the scene of offence. It is further contended that the petitioner would abide by any condition to be imposed by this Court if he is enlarged on bail and it is urged to allow the Criminal Petition. 5. Per contra, Ms. P. Akhila Naidu, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed to grant of bail to the petitioner, submitting that the petitioner acted as a pilot for transportation of 121.380 kgs of Ganja. It is a commercial quantity and urged to dismiss the Criminal Petition. 6. Thoughtful consideration is bestowed on the arguments advanced by the learned Counsel for both sides. I have perused the entire record. 7. In the light of the case of the prosecution and the contentions of the learned Counsel for both the sides, now the point for consideration is: “Whether the Petitioner is entitled for grant of bail?” 8. As seen from the record, the petitioner was arraigned as Accused No.6 based on confession given by Accused Nos.1 to 4. The petitioner acted as driver for transportation of 121.380 kgs of Ganja, which is a commercial quantity. It is alleged that the petitioner being driver of the car in which the Ganja was transported as left from the scene of offence having seized by the police. Later the petitioner had surrender himself before the learned Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Visakhapatnam on 02.12.2025. The alleged offence was taken place on 06.11.2025. After thorough investigation, charge sheet was filed after completion of 180 days of judicial custody of the petitioner. The charge sheet was numbered as NSC.No.240 of 2026. All other accused were enlarged on bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.3647 of 2026 on 07.05.2026. 9. Considering the facts and circumstances, the gravity and nature of the allegations levelled against the Petitioner, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the Petitioner/ Accused No.6. 10. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following conditions: i. In the event of arrest of the Petitioner/Accused No.6, he shall be enlarged on bail subject to the executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only), with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Visakhapatnam; ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.6 shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future. iii. The petitioner/Accused No.6 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/her from disclosing such facts to the Court. iv. The Petitioner/Accused No.6 shall surrender the passport, if any, to the concerned Court. If they claim that they do not have a passport, they shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the concerned Court. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 16.06.2026 AG THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4661/2026 Date: 16.06.2026 AG