Date of reserved for orders : Nil Date of pronouncement : 13.07.2026 Date of uploading : APHC010339722026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] MONDAY, THE 13th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 5439/2026 Between: CHINTADA NAVEEN, S/O. CHINTADA RAMU, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS,R/O. D. NO. 1-205, PANTA KALAVA GATTU, NEARGARAVALAMMA TEMPLE, GOLLAVANITIPPA,LOSARI- GUTLAPADU, BHIMAVARAM MANDAL,WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT, A.P. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: KOLLI USHA KIRANMAYEE Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.5439 of 2026 Dated 13.07.2026 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.203 of 2026 of Visakhapatnam Police Station, GRP Vijayawada, registered against the Petitioner/Accused No.1 herein for the offences punishable under Sections 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity ‘the NDPS Act’). 2. Ms.Kolli Usha Kiranmayee, 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. He has not committed any offence. He is law-abiding citizen. He has got fixed abode. It is further submitted that there are no adverse antecedents reported against the petitioner. The Petitioner undertakes to abide by any conditions that this Court may impose while granting bail to the Petitioner. Therefore, she prays that the present petition be allowed. 3. Per contra, Mr.A.Rohit, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the petitioner, submitting that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses remain to be examined. It is contended that if the petitioner is released on bail at this stage, there is a strong likelihood that he may abscond, thereby hampering the 3 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.5439 of 2026 Dated 13.07.2026 ongoing investigation and evading the process of law. In view of the foregoing submissions, it is urged that the petition be dismissed. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 5. As seen from the record, the petitioner is arraigned as Accused No.1. The petitioner is of an impressionable age of 19 years. He was allegedly found dealing with 4.00 kgs of ganja and was arrested at the spot. Though no adverse criminal antecedents are reported against the petitioner, so far only five witnesses have been examined and the investigation is still at a nascent stage. 6. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the allegations levelled against the petitioner, the stage of the investigation, and the fact that some more crucial witnesses are yet to be examined, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail at this juncture. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is liable to be dismissed. 7. 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: 13.07.2026 RSI Whether the order is : Speaking Yes/No / Reasoned Yes/No Reportable Yes/No / Non-Reportable Yes/No 4 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.5439 of 2026 Dated 13.07.2026 30 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 5439 of 2026 Date: 13.07.2026 RSI