Date of reserved for orders : -- Date of pronouncement : 14.07.2026 Date of uploading : APHC010342172026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] TUESDAY, THE 14th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 5506/2026 Between: 1. M IBRAHIM KHALEEL, S/O. MAHABOOB PHEER, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS,R/O. 2 DIVISION, BOMMANAKATTE, HIRIYUR,BHADRAVATI, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA STATE. 2. MEHANATH DIN S ALIAS KHALANDAR, S/O. SADIQ PASHA, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS,R/O. SAIYAD COLONY, 3 CROSS, SIGEBAGE,BHADRAVATI, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA STATE. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. GOLLAPALLI MAHESWARA RAO Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 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 Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 & 2 on bail in Crime No.61 of 2026 of Vizianagaram Police Station, GRP Vijayawada, registered against the Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 & 2 herein for the offences punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(B) read with 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity ‘the NDPS Act’). 2. Mr.Gollapalli Maheswara Rao, learned counsel for the Petitioners, submits that the Petitioners are innocent of the alleged offence. They have been falsely implicated in this case. They have not committed any offence. They are law-abiding citizens. They have got fixed abode. The Petitioners undertakes to abide by any conditions that this Court may impose while granting bail. Hence, it is urged to allow the Criminal Petition. 3. Per contra, Mr.K.Sandeep, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Petitioners. It is submitted that the investigation is not yet completed and that some more witnesses are yet to be examined. Hence, it is urged that to dismiss the Criminal Petition. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the Petitioners and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 3 5. On perusal of the record, the Petitioners were arraigned as Accused Nos.1 and 2 in this case. They were arrested on 06.05.2026. They have been in judicial custody for the past 69 days. It is alleged that they were found in possession of 16 kilograms of ganja. It is not a commercial quantity. The inventory has been completed, but the charge sheet has not yet been filed. So far, six witnesses have been examined. The Petitioners are of impressionable age, being 22 and 19 years respectively. The Petitioners have not filed any application before the jurisdictional Magistrate seeking release on completion of the statutory period. 6. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and the pendency of the investigation, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 2 on bail at this stage. However, liberty is granted to the Petitioners to approach the jurisdictional Magistrate by filing an appropriate application seeking release on completion of the statutory period. 7. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. As a sequel, Miscellaneous petitions, if any pending, shall stand closed. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date:14.07.2026 PRA Whether the order is : Speaking Yes/No / Reasoned Yes/No Reportable Yes/No / Non-Reportable Yes/No 4 161 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 5506 of 2026 Date: 14.07.2026 PRA