Contd…2P.. APHC010119322025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3457] TUESDAY, THE ELEVENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE HARINATH.N CRIMINAL PETITION No:2544 OF 2025 Between: S Thiraviaraj ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: Sri V.R.Reddy Kovvuri Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): Ld. Public Prosecutor The Court made the following order: 1. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. 2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is an employee of the Union Bank of India and was working as a Branch Manager. The petitioner was arraigned as A.2 in Crime No.14 of 2025 of Nagalapuram Police Station, Tirupati District, registered for the alleged offence under Sections 316(5), 318(4), 323, 306, 198 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. 3. It is alleged in the complaint that A.1, who was authorized to operate the branch gold safe, was in possession of one key of the bank strong -2- CRL.P. No.2544 OF 2025 room. It is submitted that during the period from 24.05.2024 and prior to 10.02.2025, A.1 taken away 67 gold packets related to 67 gold loans, amounting to a sanctioned limit of Rs.2,35,74,000/-. Out of these, 37 packets were pledged at the same branch under the names of 11 customers, with a sanctioned limit of Rs.1,30,79,000/-. The remaining 30 packets were pledged for a sanctioned limit of Rs.1,04,95,000/- with various non-banking financial companies and a few pawn brokers in Puttur. It is further submitted that the petitioner, who was the Branch Manager, was in possession of the second key of the bank strong room. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the allegations in the complaint revolve around A.1 and the petitioner had no involvement in the commission of the offence. It is further submitted that the petitioner was unaware of the misdeeds committed by A.1. The petitioner is merely a suspect, and his role remains to be proved. 5. The learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submits that the investigation revealed that gold loans were issued from the same Branch. The gold loans were sanctioned without the submission of applications or the customers physically visiting the bank and these transactions were recorded. Contd..3P… -3- CRL.P. No.2544 OF 2025 6. Considering submissions of the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, this Court is not inclined to interfere with the allegations made in the complaint. Hence, without going into the merits of the case, the criminal petition is dismissed. 7. Miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this criminal petition shall stand closed. ____________________ JUSTICE HARINATH.N BV