CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 07.08.2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD)No.16692 of 2026 Antony Raj ... Petitioner / Accused No.2 Versus The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by the Inspector of Police, Thalamuthunagar Police Station, Thoothukudi District. (Crime No.490 of 2026) ... Respondent / Complainant PRAYER :-Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, to enlarge the petitioner on bail in Crime No.490 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police. For Petitioner : Mr.A.Arun Ramnath, Advocate For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of TN (Crl. Side) 1/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner / Accused No.2, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 30.06.2026, for the offences punishable under Sections 8(c) and 20(b)(ii)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, in Crime No.490 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail. 2. The case of the prosecution is that, acting on secret information, the respondent police found the accused in conscious possession of 2.250 kilograms of ganja and 105 Nitrazepam tablets, each containing 10 mg. It is further alleged that the accused was in possession of the said contraband with the intention of selling the same to the general public. Hence, the present case has been registered against the petitioner. 3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is innocent and he was falsely implicated in this case and he has not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution. He would further submit that the contraband involved in this case is not commercial quantity. Hence, Section 37 of the NDPS Act is not 2/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 applicable to this case. Since the petitioner has 6 previous cases, he was implicated in this case falsely. He is in custody from 30.06.2026 and ready to abide any condition imposed by this Court. Hence, he prayed bail for the petitioner. 4. The learned Counsel for State (Criminal Side) appearing for the State reiterated the prosecution case and reported that the investigation in this case is still pending. The petitioner has 6 previous cases, out of which, 3 cases are similar in nature and if he is released out of bail, again he will indulge in similar activities. Hence, he opposed the grant of bail to the petitioner. 5. This Court heard both sides and perused the materials available on record. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of the offence, the fact that the quantity of contraband involved is not a commercial quantity and, therefore, the rigour of Section 37 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, is not attracted, 3/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 and also taking into account the period of incarceration undergone by the petitioner, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner, subject to certain conditions. [a] Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail on condition to execute a bond for a sum of Rs. 20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the learned Principal Special Court for NDPS Act Cases, Madurai, and on further conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the concerned Trial Court at 10.30 a.m., on all working days, 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 4/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 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 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 51730]. [g] If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 BNS. 07.08.2026 pal To 1.The Principal Special Court for NDPS Act Cases, Madurai. 2.The Officer-in-Charge, Sub-Jail, Perurani, Thoothukudi District. 5/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 3.The Inspector of Police, Thalamuthunagar Police Station, Thoothukudi District. 4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 6/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.16692 of 2026 K.RAJASEKAR ,J. pal ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.16692 of 2026 Date : 07.08.2026 7/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis