APHC010279892025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI FRIDAY, THE TWENTY SEVENTH DAY OF JUNE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A. HARI HARANADHA SARMA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 5779 OF 2025 BETWEEN: N R Venkatesh @ N Venkatesulu, S/o N. Rangaiah, Aged about 44 years, R/o Ramagiri Village, Pichatur Mandal, Tirupathi District. ...Petitioner/Accused No.1 AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by the Public Prosecutor, High Court for The State of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravathi, through Forest Section Officer, Pichatur Section Puttur Range, Tirupathi Division. ...Respondent/Complainant Petition under Section 482 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to enlarge the petitioner/Accused No.1 on anticipatory bail in the event of his arrest in connection with O.R.No.14/2025-26 of Puttur Range, Tiruapthi Division.. Counsel for the Petitioner:- SRI. L. SRINIVASU Counsel for the Respondent:- PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: 1 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A. HARI HARANADHA SARMA CRIMINAL PETITION No.5779 of 2025 i; ORDER: This is an application filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of pre-arrest bail. The petitioner herein is arrayed as accused No.1 in OR.No. 14/2025-26 of Puttur Range, with the allegations of committing the offences under Sections 20(1)(c)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) & (x), Section 29(4)(a)(i) and Section 29(4)(b) of A.P. Forest Act 1967, Section 20(1) (d) (i), of A.P. Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016 (A.P. Act No.15 of 2016), Sec.303 (2) of BNSS 2023 and Rule 3 of A.P. Sandal Wood and Red Sanders Wood Transit Rules, 1969. The petitioner while denying the allegations as false and that the confession of the persons arrayed as accused alone is the basis for implicating the petitioner in the present case, prays for direction to release him on Bail, in the event of his arrest. 1. 2. 3. 4. Heard both sides. 5. Point for determination; Whether the petitioner/accused No. 1, is entitled for grant of pre-arrest bail in terms of Section 482 of BNSS? If so, on what terms? 2 Point: 6(i). The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that when credible information received on 19.05.2025 by Forest Range Officer, Puttur regarding Red Sanders smuggling, the Forest Section Officer along with other team laid a watch in Adavaram Reserve forest at about 09;30 P.M. and at about 10:30 P.M they found some unknown persons carrying Red Sanders logs, when the search party tried to catch them, they escaped. But, two of them were caught, remaining five persons ran away from the scene of offence. was (ii). The persons who are caught are 1) P. Chinnabba/accused No.2, 2)A. Thirupal/accused No.3 and they have stated that N.R.venkatesh @ Venkatesulu /accused No.1 showed hope of earning more money through illegal transportation of Red Sanders smuggling and there are also cases registered against them in earlier and that they are from Tamil Nadu State. N. (iii). 15 number of Red Sanders logs were recovered. Hence, the petitioner and other accused are liable for prosecution in terms under which the case is registered. (iv). It is also submitted by prosecution that the petitioner accused is involved in other crimes vide Crime Nos.11 of 2024, 10 of 2024, 60 of 2014 and 11 of 2015 of Pichatur Police Station. 3 fe- 7. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is innocent and he has been implicated in the case without any basis the confession of co-accused is not admissible in evidence. 8. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submitted that the investigation is not yet completed and the petitioner is involved in several cases. Custodial interrogation of the petitioner is necessary and the petitioner is likely to interfere with the investigation process, if he is released on bail. Further, offences are Therefore, the petitioner is not entitled for grant of pre-arrest grave in nature. bail. 9. In view of the gravity of the charges, nature and depth of allegations, necessity of interrogation etc. urged by the Police and in view of alleged involvement of the petitioner / accused in other cases which is not denied, it is found that the petitioner is not entitled for the relief of pre-arrest bail. Hence, point framed is answered against the petitioner. 10. In the result, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. Sd/- K J RAJA BABU ASSISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER To, 1. The Puttur Range, Tiruapthi Division. 2. One CC to Sri. Srinivasu L, Advocate [OPUC] 3. Two CCs to Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravathi. [OUT] 4. Two C.D Copies. Ssl NM HIGH COURT DATED:27/06/2025 ORDER CRL.P. 5779 OF 2025 CRIMINAL PETITION IS DISMISSED.