AMARAVATI, India, Feb. 17 -- Andhra Pradesh High Court issued the following order on Jan. 16:

1. 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/A1 on bail in Cr.No.327 of 2025 on the file of Pendurthy Police Station, Visakhapatnam District, registered against the petitioner/A1 herein for the offence punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C) read with 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for brevity 'the NDPS Act').

2. The case of the prosecution in nutshell is that on 18.07.2025 the Sub-Inspector of Police, Pendurthy Police Station, received information about the illegal possession and sale of ganja. He secured the presence of mediators and rushed to JNNURAM Colony, Rathicheruvu, Pendurthy. Upon seeing the Police, the persons standing there tried to escape, and in the process, the Police apprehended the accused, inasmuch as he was in possession of 22kgs of ganja. The petitioner was arrested on 18.07.2025, and he was remanded to judicial custody on the same day.

3. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record.

4. It is the case of the petitioner that he did not commit any offence as alleged by the Police. Learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that since 18.07.2025 he is in judicial custody and despite the completion of statutory period of 180 days till date the charge sheet is not filed.

5. On the other hand, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application on the ground that the petitioner is habitual offender and if he is enlarged on bail, it is very difficult to secure his presence.

6. Having heard the submissions made by the learned counsel on either side, by taking into consideration of the fact that the petitioner has undergone the substantial period in judicial custody and further despite completion of statutory period, no charge sheet is filed in the matter till today. Hence, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail with the following stringent conditions.

7. In the result, the criminal petition is allowed with the following conditions:-

(i) The petitioner shall be enlarged on bail on executing bond for a sum of Rs.10,000/-(Rupees Ten Thousand Only) with two sureties for like sum each, to the satisfaction of learned I Additional District and Sessions Judge-Special Judge for Trial of Offences under NDPS Act, Visakhapatnam.

(ii) The petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer, Pendurthy Police Station, Visakhapatnam Commissionerate District, on every Saturday between 10.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m., till filing of the charge sheet.

(iii) The petitioner shall not leave the limits of the District without obtaining prior permission from the I Additional District and Sessions Judge-Special Judge for Trial of Offences under NDPS Act, Visakhapatnam.

As a sequel, pending applications, if any, shall stand closed.

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