APHC010481592026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] MONDAY, THE 21st DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NOs: 8131 and 8142 of 2026 1.CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8131/2026 Between: THODETI BENZMEN, S/O. SAMSONU, AGED 42 YEARS,R/O. 2-48, AMBAPURAM, VIJAYAWADA RURAL KRISHNA DISTRICT - 520012 ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Through SHO, Governorpet Police Station,Vijayawada, Krishna District,Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra PradeshAmaravati, Guntur District-522238 ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: ARUN SHOWRI G Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2.CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8142/2026 Between: MEDA SRINIVASULU, S/O MEDA KOTESWARA RAO, AGED 43 YEARS,R/O. D.NO.42-1/2-175,1MANE, DEVI NAGAR,VIJAYAWADA, KRISHNA DISTRICT - 520003. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 2 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.8131& 8142 of 2026 Dated 21.09.2026 THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Through SHO, Governorpet Police StationVijayawada, Krishna District,Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh,Amaravati, Guntur District-522238 ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. ARUN SHOWRI G Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: COMMON ORDER: The Criminal Petition Nos.8131 of 2026 and 8142 of 2026 are heard together and are being disposed of, by this Common Order, as they arise out of the same crime, though the petitioners are different. 2. These Criminal Petitionshave been filed under Section482 of the BharatiyaNagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), seeking to enlarge the petitioners/accusedNos.2 and 4on bail in Crime No.103 of 2023 of Governorpet Police Station, Vijayawada City, registered against the petitioners/accused No.2 and 4herein for the offences punishable under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 read with 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for brevity ‘the IPC’). 3. Sri G. Arun Showri, the learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that there are no specific over acts attributable to the petitioners and that the petitioners are innocent of the alleged offences and they have been falsely implicated by the police. It is further submitted that the petitioners are the sole 3 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.8131& 8142 of 2026 Dated 21.09.2026 earning member of their respective families, and, therefore, if they are incarcerated, it would cause undue hardship to their dependants. They are law-abiding citizens. Hence, it is urged to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioners. 4. Per contra, Mr.A.Sai Rohit, 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 granted pre-arrest bail, there is a strong likelihood that they may abscond, thereby hampering the ongoing investigation and evading the process of law. In view of the foregoing submissions, it is urged that the petitionsmay be dismissed. 5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 6. As seen from the record, the petitioners are accused Nos.2 and 4. The allegation against them is that they acted as mediators between the de-facto complainant and accused No.1, in purchase of two immovable properties for some sale consideration, after which, registration of the said immovable properties was completed. When the de-facto complainant was about to commence some construction activities in those immovable properties, the de-facto complainant came to know that the accused No.1 did not have the valid transferrable title in respect to the properties sold. The de- facto complainant alleged and filed a complaint against accused No.1 and the present petitioners. 4 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.8131& 8142 of 2026 Dated 21.09.2026 7. As per Section 55 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, the vendor has got certain rights and duties while offering his immovable property for sale. Similarly, the vendee has also got certain rights and duties while purchasing the property from his vendor. The vendee has got an obligation or duty to verify, at least to some reasonable extent, the title and possession of his vendor in respect of immovable property. 8. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and the nature and gravity of allegations levelled against the petitioners, as there are no specific overt acts attributable to the petitioners, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioner/accused No. 2 and 4on pre-arrest bail with some stringent conditions. 9. In the result, the Criminal Petitionsare allowed with the following stringentconditions: i. In the event of the arrest of the Petitioners, the petitioners/accused Nos. 2 and 4 shall be enlarged on bail on executing a bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/-(Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) each, withtwo sureties each, for the like sum to the satisfaction ofthe arresting police officials; ii. The petitioners/accused Nos.2 and 4 shall make themselves available for investigation as and when required; 5 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.8131& 8142 of 2026 Dated 21.09.2026 iii. The petitioners/accused Nos.2 and 4 shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses iv. The petitioners/accused Nos.2 and 4 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 Nos.2 and 4 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 Nos.2 and 4 shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to 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 No.2 and4 shall surrender their respective 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: 21.09.2026 DRNR 6 Dr.YLR,J Crl.P.No.8131& 8142 of 2026 Dated 21.09.2026 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NOs: 8183 and 8142of 2026 Date: 21.09.2026 DRNR