APHC010452152026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] MONDAY, THE 7th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7526/2026 Between: 1. KOTHAPALLI SURESH, S/O SUBRAMANYAM,AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O NSR COLONY,NAIDUPET TOWN MANDAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT. 2. NATTETI SUDHEER, S/O VENKATA SUBBAIAH,AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O PANDLURU VILLAGE,NOW RESIDING AT MANGAPATHI NAIDU NAGAR,NAIDUPET TOWN MANDAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Courtto release the Petitioners who are arrayed as Accused No. 1 and 3 on bail in connection with Crime No. 160 of 2026 on the file of Naidupet UPS Police Station, Tirupati District Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. SIVAPRASAD REDDY VENATI Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: 2 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 and 3 on bail in Crime No.160 of 2026 of Naidupet Urban Police Station, Tirupati District, registered 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. Mr.Sivaprasad Reddy Venati, the learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that the petitionersare innocent of the alleged offence and they have been falsely implicated by the police. They are law-abiding citizens. They are the sole breadwinners of the family. The petitioners undertake 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 Rohith, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the petitioners, submitting that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses remain to be examined. It is contended that if the petitionersare released on bail at this stage, there is a strong likelihood that they may abscond, thereby hampering the ongoing investigation and evading the 3 process of law. In view of the foregoing submissions, it is urged that the petition be dismissed. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 5. As seen from the record, this Court, in Criminal Petition No.6562 of 2026, dated 07.08.2026, enlarged the Accused No.2 on bail. The petitioners are also standing on the same footing. The petitioners were arrested on 05.06.2026 andhave been in judicial custody for the past 95 days. The allegation against thepetitionersis that they were in possession and transportation of 2.250 Kgs of ganja, which isnot a commercial quantity. The petitionersare permanentresident of Tirupati District and have got fixed abode. If they are enlarged on bail with certain stringent conditions, they may not evade from the process of law. 6. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, gravity of nature of allegations levelled against the petitioners, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and3 on bail with stringent conditions. 7. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following stringent conditions: i. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3shall be enlarged on bail subject to their executing a bond for a sum of 4 Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) each with twosureties each for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Nellore. ii. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned, on every Saturday in between 10:00 am and 05:00 pm, till filing of the charge sheet. iii. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3 shall not leave the limits of the State of Andhra Pradesh without prior permission from the Station House Officer concerned. iv. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3 shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future. v. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3 shall cooperate with the investigating officer in further investigation of the case and shall make themselves available for interrogation by the Investigating Officer as and when required. vi. The Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 3 shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the 5 case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 07.09.2026 BMS