CRLP/15776/2026 of Chaganti Veera Venkata Lakshmi Kumar, Vs The State of Telangana on 15 October 2026

ORDER

1. This Criminal Petition is filed under Sections 480 and 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) praying this Court to enlarge the petitioner on bail who is arrayed as accused No.1 in connection with NCB.F.No.IV /4/31/Cr.No.09/2026/Hyd on the file of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Hyderabad Zone registered for the offences punishable under Section 8(c) read with Sections 21, 22(c), 28 and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.

2. Heard Sri S.M.Saifullah, learned counsel for the petitioner- accused No.1 and Sri N.Avaneesh, learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondent–State.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that investigation so far as the petitioner-accused No.1 is concerned is substantially completed, the petitioner-accused no.1 is initially apprehended on 20.04.2026, the alleged contraband and the connected articles have already been seized and nothing further remains to be recovered at the instance of the petitioner-accused No.1. Continued and prolong incarceration of the petitioner-accused No.1 as an under trial prisoner coupled with the likelihood of the protracted trial would offend his right to personal liberty and speedy trial guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Entire investigation is completed, there is no possibility of the petitioner- accused No.1 tampering with the prosecution evidence. Earlier bail petition filed by the petitioner-accused No.1 came to be dismissed on 18.09.2026. The changed circumstance is that investigation is completed and prayed to enlarge the petitioner-accused No.1 on bail.

4. Respondent has filed counter and contended that the seized quantity i.e., 69.60 kgs of Alprazolam is a commercial quantity, the

stringent conditions contained in Section 37 of the NDPS Act are attracted and prayed to dismiss the petition.

5. Learned Standing Counsel for the respondent on instructions submits that they have issued summons to two of the directors of M/s. SM Labs to record their statements and they have arrested two more persons on 12.08.2026.

6. Petitioner-accused No.1 along with accused No.2-Ramagouni Ramesh Goud and accused No.3-Kasani Srinivas were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 21.04.2024, since then they are in jail. The panchanama dated 20.04.2026 started at 21:30 hrs which goes to show that the NCB team proceeded to the dryer room of M/s.SM Labs. Upon entering a tray dryer machine and two blue carboy drums were observed, three persons of brown complexion were found standing near the tray dryer machine. Upon enquiry, they revealed their names as (1) Chaganti Veera Venkata Laxmi Kumar (petitioner herein) (2) Kasani Srinivas and (3) Ramagouni Ramesh Goud. The net weight of substance in the respective bags were found to be 34.6 kgs., and 35 kgs., total 69.6 kgs., which is commercial quantity, panchanama ended around 11:30 hrs on 21.04.2026.

7. Learned counsel for the petitioner raised several contentions in the bail petition, in alternate he submits that petitioner-accused

No.1 is in jail since 22.04.2026, as on date it is 178 days, two more days is leftover for filing the charge sheet and even otherwise, petitioner-accused No.1 is entitled for mandatory bail.

8. Petitioner-accused No.1 has filed Crl.P.No.14170 of 2026 raising several grounds that the petitioner-accused No.1 was arrested and produced before the concerned Magistrate beyond 24 hours, this Court after hearing the Standing Counsel for the respondent and considering the material on record has dismissed the above petition on 18.09.2026 with an observation that petitioner-accused No.1 cannot compute the commencement of search proceedings as the arrest and as per the arrest memo, the arrest of the petitioner-accused No.1 is made on 21.04.2026 at 16:45 hours and he was produced before the concerned Magistrate within 24 hours and that there is no violation of Article 22(2) of the Constitution and Section 58 of the BNSS.

9. Accused Nos.4 and 5 were arrested on 12.08.2026. G.Maheshwari W/o. accused No.4 has approached this Court and filed anticipatory bail petition No.15432 of 2026 and the same is allowed on 08.10.2026.

10. Respondent has arrested accused Nos.4 and on 12.08.2026, the said fact is not brought to the notice of this Court when the earlier bail petition came to be dismissed on 18.09.2026.

Respondent has already issued notice to two more directors of M/s. SM Labs Private Limited to record their statements.

11. Since the petitioner-accused No.1 is in jail since 178 days, record goes to show that major portion of the investigation is completed, detaining the petitioner-accused No.1 further in judicial custody will not serve the purpose. Hence, petitioner-accused No.1 is entitled to be enlarged on bail, subject to the following conditions: i. The petitioner-accused No.1 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 Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Principal Judicial Magistrate of 1st Class, Medchal-Malkajgiri District at Kushaiguda. ii. The petitioner-accused No.1 shall appear before the concerned SHO between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on every Wednesday for a period of eight (8) weeks or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier, for the purpose of investigation, and thereafter, as and when required. iii. The petitioner-accused No.1 shall abide by the conditions stipulated in Section 437(3)

of Cr.P.C.(presently, Section 480(3) of the BNSS). iv. The petitioner-accused No.1 shall not directly or indirectly influence, threaten, or induce any of the prosecution witnesses. v. It is made clear that if any of the above conditions are violated, the prosecution is at liberty to file an application for cancellation of the bail.

12. Accordingly, the Criminal petition is allowed.

Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

______________________________ B.R.MADHUSUDHAN RAO, J

Date:15.10.2026 Pss

THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE B.R.MADHUSUDHAN RAO

CRIMINAL PETITION No.15776 of 2026 (CNR.No. HBHC010663582026) DATE: 15.10.2026

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