Allowed¶17

B.Reddapa v. State of Odisha

Orissa HC1 Jul 2026BLAPL/1795/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

NDPS bail; Sec.37 NDPS Act conditions; S.483 BNSS bail application; 50Kgs contraband ganja; criminal antecedent verification condition; pre-trial detention since 25.07.2025; bail after framing of charge, three witnesses pending; bail bond Rs.1,00,000 with two solvent sureties; PR No. 308 of 2025-26; 2(a) CC Case No.26 of 2025(N); Special Judge Khallikote Dist. Ganjam; BLAPL No.1795 of 2026; Justice G. Satapathy; High Court of Orissa at Cuttack; petitioner B. Reddapa.

What did the court decide?

Bail granted on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount, subject to verification of criminal antecedent; benefit of order withheld if similar NDPS criminal antecedent found; urgent certified copy ordered and soft copy to be communicated to the concerned Court and Jail. ¶17

B.Reddapa Vs State of Odisha — Narcotics (NDPS) | Orissa HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, charged under S.20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act on the main allegation of possessing 50Kgs of contraband ganja and detained since 25.07.2025, satisfies the conditions of Sec.37 of the NDPS Act so as to be admitted to bail, contingent on his having no criminal antecedent of similar nature under the NDPS Act.

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Court's answer

On consideration of the materials placed on record, the petitioner would be considered to have satisfied the conditions of Sec.37 of the NDPS Act if he is not having any criminal antecedent of similar nature for commission of offence under the NDPS Act.

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Ratio / Principle

Taking into account the pre-trial detention since 25.07.2025, this Court, without expressing any view on merit, admits the petitioner to bail subject to verification of his criminal antecedent.

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Key takeaways

In view of the specific submission advanced for the petitioner (counsel volunteering to withhold bail if similar NDPS antecedents exist), the benefit of the bail order shall not be extended to the petitioner if he is found to have any criminal antecedent of similar nature for commission of offence under the NDPS Act.ratio¶18

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

BLAPL No.1795 of 2026 (High Court of Orissa at Cuttack, oral order dated 01.07.2026, Justice G. Satapathy): B. Reddapa, detained since 25.07.2025 and prosecuted under S.20(b)(ii)(C) NDPS Act on the main allegation of possessing 50Kgs of contraband ganja (PR No. 308 of 2025-26 / 2(a) CC Case No.26 of 2025(N), Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Khallikote), renewed his bail prayer U/S.483 BNSS after framing of charge, with no witness yet examined out of three listed. Court held that on consideration of the record the petitioner satisfied the conditions of Sec.37 NDPS Act provided he has no criminal antecedent of similar NDPS nature, and admitted him to bail without expressing any view on merit, subject to verification of his criminal antecedent; per counsel's specific submission, the benefit of the order is expressly withheld if such antecedent is found. Bail allowed on bonds of Rs.1,00,000/- with two solvent sureties of like amount; BLAPL disposed of.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK BLAPL No.1795 of 2026

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B. Reddapa

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… Petitioner

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Mr. S.K. Bhanjadeo, Advocate

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-versus-

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State of Odisha

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… Opposite Party

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Mr. P. Satpathy, Addl. PP

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Order No.

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02.

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CORAM: JUSTICE G. SATAPATHY ORDER(ORAL):01.07.2026

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This is a bail application U/S.483 of the BNSS by the petitioner for grant of bail in connection with Excise EI & EB Unit-II (SD), Berhampur PR No. 308 of 2025-26 corresponding to 2(a) CC Case No.26 of 2025(N) pending in the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Khallikote, DistGanjam for commission of offence punishable U/S.20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act, on the main allegation of possessing 50Kgs of Contraband Ganja. 2. Heard, Mr. Sanjib Kumar Bhanjadeo, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. P. Satpathy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor in the matter and perused the record. On being queried about the criminal antecedent of the petitioner, Mr. Bhanjadeo volunteers to withhold bail to the petitioner, if he is found to have any criminal antecedent of similar nature for commission of offence under NDPS Act.

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Admittedly, the Petitioner is renewing his prayer for bail after framing of charge, but no witness has yet been examined and there are 03 witnesses to

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be examined, however, when the trial would be concluded is uncertain. It is, however, claimed that the Petitioner is not having any criminal antecedent. In the aforesaid situation and on consideration of the materials placed on record, the petitioner would be considered to have satisfied the conditions of Sec.37 of NDPS Act, if he is not having any criminal antecedent of similar nature for commission of offence under NDPS Act.

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For the reason stated hereinabove and taking into account the pre-trial detention of the petitioner in custody since 25.07.2025, this Court without expressing any view on merit admits the petitioner to bail, but subject to verification of his criminal antecedent.

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Hence, the bail application of the petitioner stands allowed and he is allowed to go on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case on such terms and conditions as deem fit and proper by it.

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In view of the specific submission as advanced for the petitioner, the benefit of this order shall not be extended to the petitioner, if he is found to have any criminal antecedent of similar nature for commission of offence under NDPS Act.

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Accordingly, the BLAPL stands disposed of. Issue urgent certified copy of the order as per Rules. A soft copy of this order be immediately communicated to the concerned Court, who shall afterwards communicate the same to the concerned Jail through e- mail for reference.

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(G. Satapathy) Judge

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Priyajit

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Signature Not Verified

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Digitally Signed Signed by: PRIYAJIT SAHOO Reason: Authentication Location: HIGH COURT OF ORI SSA Date: 01-Jul-2026 18:52:02

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B.Reddapa v. State of Odisha

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

B.Reddapa v. State of Odisha

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

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Statutes considered

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Coram

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