CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 30/07/2026 PRESENT The HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 Pandivelu @ Pandivel, S/o.Murugan, North Street, Kovilpappakudi, Pothumbu Post, Madurai District.. ... Petitioner/Accused No.11 Vs State of Tamilnadu Rep by, The Inspector of Police, Madurai PEW Police Station, Madurai District. Crime No.196 of 2025. ... Respondent/Complainant For Petitioner :Mr.G.Hari Haran, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of TN (Crl.Side) PETITION FOR BAIL Under Sec.483 of BNSS PRAYER :- C-32B. For Bail in Crime No.196 of 2025 on the file of the Respondent Police. 1/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner/Accused No.11, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 03.03.2026 for the alleged offence under Sections 8(c) r/w 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 and 29(1) of NDPS Act, 1985 in Crime No.196 of 2025 on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail. 2.The case of the prosecution is that on 24.08.2025 at about 06.30 a.m, the respondent police received the secret information regarding the transportation of Ganja in a auto bearing Registration No.TN 58 V 2709 near Azhagappan Railway Gate, Madurai. Thereafter, the respondent Police arrived at the alleged occurrence at about 07.30 a.m., where the respondent caught A1 to A4 with illegal possession of 22 kgs of Ganja. Hence, the case has been registered and the accused were arrested. Based on the statement recorded from the arrested accused, it was revealed that the petitioner had also participated in the alleged trafficking of ganja. Hence, he was arrayed as A11 in this case and arrested. 3.The learned counsel for the petitioner would contend that the respondent police have registered a false case against the petitioner for 2/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 the offences punishable under Sections 8(c) r/w 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 and 29(1) of NDPS Act, 1985. The petitioner is an innocent and he is nothing to do with the alleged offences. He would further contend that the no contraband was recovered from the petitioner and based on the statement recorded from the arrested accused, he has been arrayed as A11. He is in judicial custody from 03.03.2026. He further submitted that the similarly placed accused, who are ranked as A8, A9, A15 and A6 and other accused have already been granted bail by this Court in Crl.O.P. (MD).Nos.5714, 6437, 4306, 7871, 8337 adn 8347 of 2026 by this Court under various dates Therefore prayed to grant bail to the petitioner. 4.The learned counsel for the State of TN (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent submitted that the co-accused were released on bail on the ground that there is no recovery effected from them and the other accused were arrayed as accused only based on the confession statement given by the co-accused. He further submitted that the petitioner is alleged to have been involved in the possession and transportation of a commercial quantity of ganja. Hence, he opposed to grant bail to the petitioner. 3/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 5.I have carefully considered the submissions made on either side and also perused the materials available on records. I have also perused the order passed by this Court in Crl.O.P.(MD).Nos.5714, 6437, 4306, 7871, 8337 and 8347 of 2026, dated 16.04.2026, 30.04.2026 and 11.06.2026, wherein this Court observed as follows: 6.Considering the rival submissions made by the learned counsel on either side, nature of offence and no contraband was recovered from the petitioner and based on the confession of Co-accused and CDR report, he has been arrayed as A8 and though the petitioner has five previous cases, in all cases the petitioner was granted bail and also considering the period of incarceration undergone by the petitioner from 29.09.2025, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions: 6. Considering the rival submissions made by the learned counsel on either side, nature of offence and though the quantity of the contraband involved in this case is a commercial quantity, no contraband was recovered from the petitioner and the entire contraband was recovered from the co-accused and based on the confession of co-accused, he has been arrayed as A6 4/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 and though the petitioner has one previous case, the same is not similar kind of offence and in this case, he was released on bail and the co-accused have already been released on bail and the investigation might have been completed and also considering the period of incarceration undergone by the petitioner from 02.12.2025, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions: 6.This Court has also perused the confession statements recorded from the co-accused. Except for the said confession statements, no material has been produced to implicate the petitioner in the alleged offence. In the absence of any material evidence connecting the petitioner with the crime and considering the fact that the similarly placed co-accused have already been released on bail, this Court is of the view that the petitioner is also entitled to the grant of bail. 7.Considering the reasons stated above and the same is squarely applicable to the present petitioner, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner, subject to the following conditions. [a] Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released 5/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 on bail on condition to execute a bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the learned Additional District Judge/Principal Special Court for EC and Trial of NDPS Act Cases, Madurai, and on further conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the learned Additional District and Sessions Judge, Special Court under EC and NDPS Act Cases, Madurai, on all working days at 10.30 a.m., for a period of six weeks. [c] the petitioner shall not commit any offence similar to the offence of which he/she is accused, or suspected, or of the commission of which he/she is suspected; [d] the petitioner shall not abscond either during investigation or trial; [e] 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 her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer or tamper with 6/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 the evidence; [f] On breach of any of the aforesaid conditions, the learned Judicial Magistrate/Trial Court is entitled to take appropriate action against the petitioner in accordance with law as if the conditions have been imposed and the petitioner released on bail by the learned Magistrate/Trial Court himself as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in P.K.Shaji vs. State of Kerala [(2005)AIR SCW 5560]. [g] If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 BNS. (K R S J) 30.07.2026 VSG 7/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 TO 1.The learned Additional District Judge/Principal Special Court for EC and Trial of NDPS Act Cases, Madurai. 2. The Superintendent, Central Prison, Madurai. 3.The Inspector of Police, Madurai PEW Police Station, Madurai District. 4. The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 8/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15859 of 2026 K. RAJASEKAR,J., vsg ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.15859 of 2026 Date : 30/07/2026 9/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis