[ 3521 ] IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI DAY OF AUGUST 2026 :PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 6674 OF 2026 TH TUESDAY, THE 11 ■*o C9 •od Between: Sankili Pandi D, S/o. Dhurairaj, Aged about 20 years, Occupation: Student, R/o. Varanadu Street, Pulliyankudi Town, Thirunelveli District, Tamilnadu. Petitioner/Accused No.1 AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh At Amaravathi. Respondent i Petition under Sections 480 & 483 of BNSS and Sections 437 & 439 of Cr.P.C., praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail pending disposal of Crime No. 88/2026 of Government Railway P.S., Vizianagaram District. The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the grounds filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Sri PULAPALLI BABJI, Advocate for the Petitioner and of PUBLIC PROSECUTOR for the Respondent and the Court made the following; 2 m Dr.YLR.J - CrI..P No. 6674 of 2026 ^ Dated 11.08.2026^^ 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.88 of 2026 of Vizianagaram Police Station, GRP Vijayawada District, registered against the Petitioner/Accused No.1 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.Pulapalli Babji, the learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that the petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and he has been falsely implicated by the police. It is further submitted that the petitioner is the sole earning member of the family and, therefore, his incarceration would cause undue hardship to his dependents. He is a law-abiding citizen. The petitioner undertakes to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. In light of the foregoing submissions, the learned counsel prays that the present petition be allowed in the interest of justice. 3. Per contra, Mr.A.Sai 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 3 Dr.YLRJ Crl..PNo.6674 of 2026 Dated 11.08.2026 stage, there is a strong likelihood that he may abscond, thereby hampering the 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 aged about 20 years and is at an impressionable age. He was arrested on 22.06.2026. He has been in judicial custody for the past 49 days. The allegation against the petitioner is that he was found in conscious and illegal possession of and transportation of 6.5 Kgs. of ganja. The seized contraband is not a commercial quantity. So far, six witnesses have been examined. All of them are official witnesses. There are no similar adverse antecedents reported against the petitioner. The petitioner is permanent resident of Thirunelveli District Tamil Nadu. He has got fixed abode. The material portion of the investigation with regard to the alleged role played by the petitioner has been completed. Therefore, the scope of the petitioner threatening the witnesses, tampering with the evidence, and hampering the investigation may not arise. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of allegations levelled against the Petitioner/Accused No.1, this Court is inclined to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.1 on bail with some stringent conditions. 4 Dr. YLR.J Crl.RNo.6674 of 2026 Dated 11.08.2026 In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following stringent conditions: 7. i. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall be enlarged on bail subject to his executing a bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class for Railways Visakhapatnam. VI ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall appear before the Station Flouse Officer concerned on every Saturday in between 10:00 am and 05:00 pm, till filing of the charge sheet. iii. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not leave the limits of the District without prior permission from the Station Flouse Officer concerned, iv. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall not indulge in commission of any offence in future. V. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 shall cooperate with the investigating officer in further investigation of the and shall make himself available for interrogation by the Investigating Officer as and when required. commit or case 5 Dr.YLR.J Crl.RNo.6674 of 2026 Dated 11.08.2026 vi. The Petitioner/Accused No.1 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. SD/- W.NAGASVliVSA ASSISTAt^T REG^TKAR SECTION OFFICER //TRUE COPY// For To, 1 The VI Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class for Railways, Visakhapatnam 2. The Superintendent, Central Jail, Visakhapatnam, Visakhapatnam District 3. The Station House Officer, Government Railway P.S., Vizianagaram District 4. One CC to SRI. PULAPALLI BABJI Advocate [OPUC] 5. Two CCs to Public Prosecutor, High Court of AP [OUT] 6. One spare copy li KJ HIGH COURT DR.YLR.J DATED: 11/08/2026 BAIL ORDER CRLP.No.6674 of 2026 C3 \ U MG 2iBS m ALLOWED Ory ;