Pangi Keshava Rao @ Kesha v. The State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT

HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.15892 of 2025 DATE: 09.12.2025 Between:

Pangi Keshava Rao and another .... Petitioners/A1 & A2 AND The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana At Hyderabad, through PS Abdullapurmet.

.... Respondent/Complainant

O R D E R

This criminal petition is filed under Sections 480 & 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNSS') by the petitioners/A1 & A2 seeking enlargement on bail in connection with Crime No.393 of 2025 of Abdullapurmet Police Station, Rachakonda Commissionerate. The offences alleged against the petitioners are under Section 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(c) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short 'NDPS Act').

2.

The case of the prosecution is that, on 11.06.2025, on reliable information, the police conducted inspection and found accused Nos.1 and 2 in possession of 19.93 kilograms of Hashish and the same was seized. Basing on the same, the police registered a case against the accused for the above offences.

3.

Heard Sri S.M.

Rizwan Akhtar, learned counsel representing Sri Ch. Raj Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri D.Arun Kumar, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent-State. 4.

The contention of the learned counsel for the petitioners is that the petitioners are innocent of the allegations and have been falsely implicated in this case. He further submitted that the petitioners have been in judicial custody since 12.06.2025 and, even after the lapse of 6 months, no charge sheet has been filed. Hence, requested this Court to grant bail to the petitioners.

5.

On the other hand, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the contentions made by the learned counsel for the petitioners, stating that the alleged offence falls

under the provisions of the NDPS Act and that the seized contraband constitutes a commercial quantity. In view of Section 37 of the NDPS Act, he contended that the petitioners are not entitled to bail. However, he informed the Court that no charge sheet has been filed as of today and there are no criminal antecedents against the petitioners. 6.

In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and a perusal of the material available on record, it appears that though the alleged contraband is of commercial quantity, as of today no charge sheet has been filed even after six months by the investigating authority. As seen from the record, the material part of the investigation has been completed and L.Ws.1 to 14, including the investigating officer have already been examined.

Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the period of incarceration of the petitioners, and the fact that no charge sheet has been filed, this Court deems it fit to grant bail to the petitioners/A1 & A2, subject to the following conditions:

i.

The petitioners/ A1 & A2 shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) each, with two sureties for a like sum

each to the satisfaction of the learned XIV Additional Metropolitan Magistrate at Hayathnagar.

ii.

The petitioners/ A1 & A2 shall appear before the concerned SHO at 11:00 a.m., on every Monday for a period of eight (8) week or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier, for the purpose of investigation, and thereafter, as and when required.

iii.

The petitioners/ A1 & A2 shall abide by the conditions stipulated in Section 437(3) of Cr.P.C. (presently, Section 480(3) of the BNSS).

7.

Accordingly, the Criminal petition is allowed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 09.12.2025 SS

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.15892 of 2025 Date: 09.12.2025 SS