Bail for Man Held With Drugs at RGIA

Hyderabad: Justice Narsing Rao Nandikonda of the Telangana High Court, sitting in vacation court, granted bail to a daily wage worker arrested in connection with alleged illegal possession of ganja at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Shamshabad. The judge was hearing a criminal petition filed by Murugan Sundaram Pillai, who was arrested in March and has been in judicial custody since. The petitioner was apprehended by the Customs at the airport based on suspicion and was found carrying 11 tins with markings such as ‘butter cookies’ and ‘tea mix,’ which were later found to contain 5.537 kg of ganja. According to the prosecution, the seizure was made at the international arrival hall of the RGIA, and the case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The seized quantity was stated to be of intermediate level. Counsel for the petitioner argued that the alleged offence did not involve a commercial quantity and that the petitioner, a 59-year-old daily wage worker, had no criminal antecedents. Taking note of the quantity involved, age of the petitioner, and absence of prior criminal record, the judge granted conditional bail to the petitioner.

Fisherman society ad hoc panel suspended

Justice Laxmi Narayana Alishetti of the Telangana High Court, sitting in the vacation court, temporarily suspended the appointment of an ad-hoc committee to oversee the affairs of the Mellacharuvu Fishermen Cooperative Society in Suryapet district. The petition was filed by the society, represented by its secretary Bhukya Babu, challenging the action of the district fisheries officer, who on May 22, 2025, had issued orders granting fishing rights in Thotam Cheruvu, Raghavapuram, to a non-elected three-member ad-hoc committee without prior notice or following due process. Counsel for the petitioner, argued that although the society was granted fishing rights for the 2024-25 season (Fasli 1434), the subsequent appointment of an ad-hoc committee the same day had led to interference with the society’s rights, allegedly with police support. Taking serious note of the absence of due procedure and the failure to furnish the underlying order relied upon for the ad-hoc committee’s appointment, the court held that the action appeared prima facie unsustainable. The judge observed that the appointment was made despite the presence of an elected body, violating principles of natural justice. The judge thus suspended the impugned letter dated 22.05.2025, pending further hearing, and posted the matter for counter on June 11.