SL. No. Date Office Notes, reports, orders or proceedings or directions and Registrar’s order with Signatures COURT’S OR JUDGE’S ORDERS WPCRL No.851 of 2025 Hon’ble Pankaj Purohit, J. Mr. G.C. Lakhchaura, learned counsel for the petitioners (appeared through V.C.). 2. Mr. B.C. Joshi, learned AGA for the State. 3. By means of this writ petition, petitioners have impugned the FIR No.0068 of 2025 dated 31.07.2025, lodged under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 191(2), 191(3) BNS, 2023 and Section 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, registered at P.S. Kotwali Almora, District Almora. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners has limited his argument to the extent that the investigation agency should comply with the guidelines given in Arnesh Kumar Vs. State of Bihar and another reported in (2014) 8 SCC 273. 5. Since the aforesaid offences carry a punishment maximum to seven years, therefore before resorting to any arrest, prior notice under Section 35(3) of the B.N.S.S., 2023 (under Section 41A of Cr.P.C.) is necessary to be issued to the petitioners. Hence, it is provided that before taking any coercive measures against the petitioners, the Investigating Officer shall abide by procedure given under Section 35(3) of the BNSS Act, 2023 (under Section 41A of Cr.P.C.) 6. Accordingly, the writ petition stands disposed of. 7. Pending application, if any, stands disposed of accordingly. (Pankaj Purohit, J.) 06.08.2025 AK