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2026:APHC:23931 APHC010138722026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3396]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

MONDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX

PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA

CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2115/2026 Between:

1. B AIPUREDDY RATNAM, W/O RAJU, AGED 41 YEARS,R/O THIMMARAJUPALEM VILLAGE, NIDADAVOLE MANDAL,N/O VINAYAGUDIVEEDHI, THOGUMMI VILLAGE, KOWURMANDAL,

WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT, A.P.

...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND

1. T HE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER,PAYAKARAOPETA POLICE STATION,REP BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH,

AMARAVATI, A.P.

...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 Court pleased to enlarge the Petitioner on bail in

Crime no. 208/2025 of Payakaraopeta Police Station and pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused:

1. SAMANTHA KRISHNA SRIRAMAKAVACHAM Counsel for the Respondent/complainant:

1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

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2026:APHC:23931 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA

CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2115/2026

ORDER:

This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya

Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, has been filed by the petitioner/Accused No.1, seeking regular bail, in Crime no. 208/2025 of Payakaraopeta Police Station, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25, 29(1) r/w Section 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,

1985.

2. The case of the prosecution in brief is that on 18.08.2025, the police along with mediators apprehended the accused while they were in possession of 200 Kgs of Ganja in the form of seeds, buds, stems and flowers. The police have arrested the accused on 18.08.2025 and since then, the accused No.1

has been in judicial custody.

3. Heard Ms. Samantha Krishna Sriramakavacham, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.K. Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public

Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the State.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is an innocent person and that she has not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution. She was falsely implicated in this case. She would further submit that no contraband was seized from the possession of the petitioner. The recovery was made from the vehicle which was not registered in her name.

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The petitioner has been in judicial custody since 18.08.2025. Statutory period is also over. The investigation might have been completed by this time. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is ready to furnish sureties to the satisfaction of the Court and finally prays to grant bail to

the petitioner.

5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that the contraband involved in the present case is a commercial quantity of 200 kilograms of Ganja and that the petitioner has have been in judicial custody since 18.08.2025. The petitioner was arrested while she was in possession of the contraband. She would further submit that though the statutory period has been completed, a petition was filed before the concerned Court for remand extension and the same was allowed, the remand was extended to 260 days. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor

therefore prayed for dismissal of the petition.

6. Considering the submissions and a fair look on the material placed before this Court, it is a case involving 200 Kgs of Ganja, which is a commercial quantity. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that remand was extended to 260 days by the learned Trial Court. At this juncture, this

Court is not inclined to release the petitioners on bail.

7. The Hon’ble Apex Court in State of Kerala v. Rajesh, 2026:APHC:23931 at Paragraph

Nos.8, 19, 20 and 21 held as under:

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(2020) 12 SCC 122

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2026:APHC:23931

8. To curb the spread of dangerous drugs, P