Athram Barik Rao 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.289 of 2026 DATE: 19.01.2026 Between:
Athram Barik Rao .... Petitioner/accused AND The State of Telangana, Through P.S. Utnoor Police Station, Adilabad District, TG.
Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court at Hyderabad.
.... Respondent/Complainant ORDER:
This Criminal Petition is filed seeking the Court to enlarge the petitioner on bail, who is arrayed as accused in FIR No.309 of 2025 of Utnoor Police Station, Adilabad
District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 8(b) r/w 20(a)(i) of the NDPS Act, 1985. 2.
The brief facts of the case are that on 17.10.2025, the police received credible information about the cultivation of Ganja plants and they have conducted an inspection and found 8 ganja plants were cultivating in between cotton crop weighed about 0.402 kg of wet Ganja plants and total worth value of 4 ganja plants is Rs.80,000/- and seized the same from the possession of accused. The accused was arrested and remanded to the judicial custody and a case was registered against him for the above said offences.
3.
Heard Sri M. Krishna Murthry, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner as well as Sri Arun Kumar Doddla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for respondent-State.
4.
Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is innocent of the alleged offences and he is innocent farmer and he was remanded to the judicial custody on 18.10.2025 and the seized quantity is an
intermediate quantity and the material part of the investigation was already completed. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant bail to the petitioner by allowing this criminal petition.
5.
On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner stating that the alleged offences are of the NDPS Act and it is serious in nature, therefore, he is not entitled for the bail. However, he informed that there are no other cases pending against the petitioner and prayed the Court to dismiss the criminal petition. 6.
In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and upon perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the petitioner herein is in jail from 18.10.2025 and the seized contraband is 0.402 kg of wet Ganja plants, which is an intermediate quantity and there are no other cases pending against the petitioner. As recorded in the remand case diary, the prosecution witnesses LWs.1 to 12 have already been examined. Considering the facts and circumstances of
the case, the nature of the allegations, the stage of investigation, the duration of incarceration and the seized quantity, this Court finds it appropriate to grant bail to the petitioner/accused, subject to the following conditions:
i.
The petitioner/accused shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only), with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Utnoor.
ii.
The petitioner/accused 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 petitioner/accused 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: 19.01.2026 TU
THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.289 of 2026 Date:19.01.2026 TU