APHC010381182025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] WEDNESDAY,THE SIXTH DAY OF AUGUST TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7822/2025 Between: VADLAMUDI CHENNA RAO, S/O VEERAYYA, AGE 53 YEARS, R/O TATAKUNTIA VILLAGE, VISSANNAPETA MANDAL, KRISHNA DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep by the Station House Officer, Gannavaram Police Station, Rep through the Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: KILARU NITHIN KRISHNA Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 Dr. YLR, J Crl.P.No.7822 of 2025 Dated 06.08.2025 The Court made the following: ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the petitioner/Accused No.1 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No.171 of 2025 of Gannavaram UPS Police Station, Krishna District, registered for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 331 (4), 305 (e) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’). 2. The case of the prosecution is that on 03.07.2025 at about 18:00 hours, the de-facto complainant, who stated that he is working as Joint Sub-Registrar, reported that on 02.07.2025 at about 20:30 hours, the staff members locked the office and left. On the next day, i.e., 03.07.2025 at about 10:00 A.M., when the complainant and the staff came to open the office, they found the lock already broken, and unknown offenders had committed theft of non-judicial stamps and empty stamp papers, and escaped with booty worth Rs.13,56,300/-. 3. Mr. Kilaru Nithin Krishna, the learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and has 3 Dr. YLR, J Crl.P.No.7822 of 2025 Dated 06.08.2025 been falsely implicated by the police. It is further submitted that the petitioner is the sole earning member of the family and, therefore, his continued incarceration would cause undue hardship to his dependents. The petitioner undertakes to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. In light of the foregoing, learned counsel prays that the present petition be allowed in the interest of justice. 4. Per contra, Mr. Neelotphal Ganji, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner, submitting that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses remain to be examined. It is contended that if the petitioner is released on pre-arrest bail at this stage, there is a strong likelihood that he may abscond, thereby hampering the ongoing investigation and evading the process of law. In view of the foregoing, it is urged that the petition be dismissed. 5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 6. As seen from the record, the petitioner and the other accused have trespassed into the Sub-Registrar Office, Gannavaram, and allegedly committed theft of non-judicial stamps and other stamps worth a total of 4 Dr. YLR, J Crl.P.No.7822 of 2025 Dated 06.08.2025 Rs.13,56,300/-. The police have arrested Accused Nos.2 and 3, and as per the remand report, Accused No.1 suffered some injuries and is undergoing treatment in the hospital. This is a case where the petitioner and other accused allegedly trespassed into a Government Office and committed theft of valuable documents. This is not a fit case to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner. 7. However, the learned counsel for the petitioner urges this Court to grant liberty to the petitioner to surrender before the learned Jurisdictional Magistrate concerned. Liberty is granted to the petitioner to surrender before the learned Jurisdictional Magistrate concerned on his discharge from the hospital and to move an appropriate application before the learned Magistrate for enlarging him on bail. 8. The learned Jurisdictional Magistrate concerned shall make an endeavor to dispose of the application on its own merits, in accordance with law, by giving due and sufficient opportunity of hearing to the learned Public Prosecutor and pass appropriate orders within a reasonable time, preferably within two (02) days. If any application is filed seeking custodial interrogation of Accused No.1, the learned Magistrate concerned may pass appropriate orders on such application 5 Dr. YLR, J Crl.P.No.7822 of 2025 Dated 06.08.2025 on its own merits, in accordance with law. Hence, this Criminal Petition is liable to be dismissed. 9. In the result, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. As a sequel, Miscellaneous petitions, if any pending, shall stand closed. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 06.08.2025 RSI 6 Dr. YLR, J Crl.P.No.7822 of 2025 Dated 06.08.2025 161 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION No.7822 of 2025 Date:06.08.2025 RSI