APHC010473722026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] THURSDAY, THE 17th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7958/2026 Between: 1. MALLIDI VENU GOPAL REDDY, S/O MALLIDI BHAMI REDDY,OCC BANK EMPLOYEE,R/O,D-NO.8-75, BESIDE SUBRAMANYESWARA TEMPLEKOKKUDURU, BICCAVOLE MANDAL,EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT-533345. 2. JALLI RAJASHEKAR, S/O JOGAIAH, AGED 61 YEARS,R/O, D-NO. 10- 3-27/6-, FLOOR NO.G2-B2ASR RESIDENCY,CHINARANGANIPALEM,OPP LUTHAN CHURCH,BHIMAVARAM,WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT. 3. REGELLA VENKATA SESHU KUMAR, S/O REGELLA SURYANARAYANA SASTRY, AGED 52 YEARSR/O,D-NO.2-4-41/10, BHUPATHI VARI STREET,NARASAPURAM, NARASAPURAM MANDAL,WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT-534275. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,A.P HIGH COURT BUILDING,AMARAVATHI. 2. R MANASWI, S/O R S VENKATESWARA RAO, AGED 40 YEARS,OCC BRANCH MANAGER,R/O STATE BANK OF INDIA,VEERAVASARAM BRANCH,VEERAVASAM VILLAGE MANDAL,WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): VARDHINEEDI SAI KIRAN 2 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.7958 of 2026 Dated 17.09.2026 Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 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 petitioners/Accused for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No.55 of 2020 of Veeravasaram Police Station, West Godavari District, was registered for the alleged offence punishable under Sections 120b, 420, 467, 468 and 471 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for brevity ‘the IPC’). 2. Mr.Vardhineedi Saikiran, the learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that the petitioners are the innocents of the alleged offence. They are law- abiding citizens. They have not committed any offence. They are the sole breadwinners of the family. They have been falsely implicated by the police. The petitioners undertake to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. In light of the foregoing submissions, learned counsel prays that the present petition be allowed in the interest of justice. 3. Per contra, Mr.A.Sai Rohith, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioners, submitting that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses remain to be examined. It is contended that if the petitioners are released on pre- 3 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.7958 of 2026 Dated 17.09.2026 arrest bail, there is a strong likelihood that they may abscond, thereby hampering the ongoing investigation and evading the process of law. Hence, it is urged that the petition be dismissed. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the Petitioners and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 5. As seen from the record, a Coordinate Bench of this Court, by orders dated 02.12.2024 and 12.02.2025 in Crl.P.No.7741 of 2024 and Crl.P.No.908 of 2025, respectively, granted pre-arrest bail to Accused No.1 and his wife. Further, this Court, in Crl.P.Nos.7533, 7535 and 7537 of 2026, by a common order dated 09.09.2026, granted pre-arrest bail to the accused therein, subject to certain stringent conditions. The present petitioners claim parity with the said accused and contend that they are standing on a similar footing. The Petitioners are agriculturists, having a fixed place of abode, and are permanent residents of West Godavari District. The crime pertains to the year 2020. The allegations against the Petitioners are that Accused No.1, along with 49 other persons, obtained loans by producing forged Pattadar Passbooks, Aadhaar Cards and Voter Identity Cards. Based on the report lodged by the Branch Manager of the State Bank of India, the present crime came to be registered. 6. Having regard to the entire facts and circumstances of the case, the gravity and nature of the allegations levelled against the petitioners/Accused, 4 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.7958 of 2026 Dated 17.09.2026 this Court deems it fit to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioners/Accused with some stringent conditions. 7. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following conditions: i. In the event of their arrest, petitioners/Accused shall be enlarged on bail subject to their executing a bond for a sum of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) each with two sureties each for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the arresting police officials; ii. The petitioners/Accused shall make themselves available for investigation as and when required; iii. The petitioners/Accused shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses iv. The petitioners/Accused shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., till filing of the charge sheet. v. The petitioners/Accused shall not leave the limits of the State of Andhra Pradesh without the express permission from the Station House Officer concerned. vi. The petitioners/Accused shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to 5 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.7958 of 2026 Dated 17.09.2026 any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court. vii. The Petitioners/Accused shall surrender their passports, if any, to the Investigating Officer. If they claim that they do not have passports, they shall submit affidavits to that effect to the Investigating Officer. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 17.09.2026 RSI/DRNR 6 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.7958 of 2026 Dated 17.09.2026 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7958 of 2026 Date: 17.09.2026 RSI/DRNR