Kerala High Court
Usthab Pradhan vs State Of Kerala on 23 March, 2026
Author: Kauser Edappagath
Bench: Kauser Edappagath
2026:KER:25176
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE KAUSER EDAPPAGATH
MONDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF MARCH 2026 / 2ND CHAITHRA, 1948
BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026
CRIME NO.196/2026 OF ALUVA POLICE STATION, ERNAKULAM
PETITIONER/ACCUSED:
USTHAB PRADHAN
AGED 26 YEARS
S/O. PISULA PRADHAN, MARAKANDI, BARIGUDA,
GUTINGIA, KANDHAMAL, ODISHA, PIN - 762106
SMT.DHANYA S NAIR
SRI.RAHUL.S
SRI.MOHAMMED RAZALI K.A
SRI.ABY GEORGE
RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT:
STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KERALA, KOCHI, PIN - 682031
SRI. M.C.ASHI, SR.PP
THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON
23.03.2026, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE
FOLLOWING:
2026:KER:25176
BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026
2
ORDER
This application is filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, BNSS), seeking regular bail.
2. The applicant is the sole accused in Crime No.196/2026 of Aluva Police Station, Ernakulam District. The offence alleged is punishable under Section 20(b)(ii)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short 'NDPS Act').
3. The prosecution case, in short, is that on 03.02.2026 at about 01.50 p.m., the applicant was found in possession of 5.010 kilograms of ganja near the SBI ATM at the Aluva Railway Station compound in contravention of the NDPS Act and Rules and thereby committed the aforesaid offence.
4. I have heard Smt.Dhanya S.Nair, the learned counsel for the applicant and Sri.M.C.Ashi, the learned Senior Public Prosecutor. Perused the case diary.
5. The learned counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. The counsel further submitted that no materials are on record to connect the applicant with the alleged crime; hence, 2026:KER:25176 BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026 3 he is entitled to bail. On the other hand, the learned Senior Public Prosecutor submitted that the alleged incident occurred as a part of the intentional criminal acts of the applicant, and he is not entitled to bail at this stage.
6. The applicant was remanded to judicial custody on 03.02.2026. The investigation is almost over and the recovery has been effected. The applicant has no criminal antecedents. For these reasons, I do not find any reason to hold that the continued detention of the applicant is required for any purpose. Hence, the applicant is entitled to be released on bail.
In the result, the application is allowed on the following conditions: -
(i) The applicant shall be released on bail on executing a bond for Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh only) with two solvent sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Magistrate/Court.
(ii) The sureties shall be from the State of Kerala.
(iii) The applicant shall fully co-operate with the investigation.
(iv) The applicant shall appear before the investigating officer between 10.00 a.m and 11.00 a.m. every Saturday until 2026:KER:25176 BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026 4 further orders. He shall also appear before the investigating officer as and when required.
(v) The applicant shall not commit any offence of a like nature while on bail.
(vi) The applicant shall not attempt to contact any of the prosecution witnesses, directly or through any other person, or in any other way try to tamper with the evidence or influence any witnesses or other persons related to the investigation.
(vii) The applicant shall not leave the State of Kerala without the permission of the trial Court.
(viii) The application, if any, for deletion/modification of the bail conditions or cancellation of bail on the grounds of violating the bail conditions shall be filed at the jurisdictional court.
Sd/-
DR. KAUSER EDAPPAGATH JUDGE NP 2026:KER:25176 BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026 5 APPENDIX OF BAIL APPL. NO. 1511 OF 2026 PETITIONER ANNEXURES Annexure A1 THE COPY OF THE FIR IN CRIME NO.196/2026 OF ALUWA POLICE STATION, ERNAKULAM RURAL