APHC010441212026 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: 7323/2026 Between: 1. BASWANI LAKSHMAN, S/O LATE CHENNAYYA,AGED 22 YEARS, R/O D.NO. 4-187, PALLALAMA TEMPLE STREET, UBALANKA VILLAGE, RAVULAPALEM MANDAL. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. HIGH COURT AT AMARAVATHI, A.P. 2. MALLADI RAJU, S/O. VENKATESWARLU, AGE. 35 YEARS, R/O. BANGARAMMA PETA VILLAGE, KOVVUR MANDAL, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT. (CRIME NO.132 OF 2026 OF KOVVUR TOWN UPS, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT) RESPONDENT NO.2 IS IMPLEADED AS PER THE COURT ORDER DATED 31.08.2026 IN CRL.P.NO.7323 OF 2026. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. BALA KRISHNA V Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2. KURAVATI LENIN BABU 2 The Court made the following: ORDER: Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 480 and 483 of the BharatiyaNagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), seeking to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused on bail in Crime No.132 of 2026 of Kovvuru Town UPS Police Station, East Godavari District, registered for the alleged offence punishable under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’). 2. Heard the learned counsel for the Petitioner, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and the legal aid counsel for the Respondent No.2. Perused the record. 3. Mr.V.Bala Krishna, learned Counsel for the Petitioner, submits that the Petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and has been falsely implicated by the police. It is further submitted that the Petitioner is the sole earning member of the family and, therefore, his incarceration would cause undue hardship to his dependents. The Petitioner undertakes to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. Hence, it is urged to allow the Petition. 4. Per contra, Mr.A.Sai Rohith, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Petitioner, submitting that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses remain to be examined. It is further submitted that the daughter of Respondent No.2, i.e., the victim, was sexually exploited by the Petitioner on several occasions, due to which she committed suicide. Hence, it is urged to dismiss the Petition. 3 5. Mr.K.Lenin Babu, learned legal aid counsel for the Respondent No.2 argued on the same lines as the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and urged to dismiss the Criminal Petition. 6. On perusal of the record, the Petitioner, by virtue of relation, is the elder brother of the victim/deceased. It is the version of Respondent No.2, the father of the victim, that his daughter was sexually exploited by the Petitioner, being her elder brother by relation, on several occasions. The deceased victim, being a minor aged about 17 years at the time of the alleged offences. There is an allegation of penetrative sexual assault. The investigation is still at a progressive stage. Only six witnesses have been examined, and several material witnesses remain to be examined. The victim committed suicide allegedly due to the exploitation by the Petitioner. In view of the gravity of the allegations and the stage of investigation, the request for enlarging the Petitioner on bail at this juncture is not found convincing or reasonable. There are no merits in this Petition. 7. In the result, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date:17.09.2026 PRA/VMM 4 23 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION No.7323 of 2026 Date:17.09.2026 PRA/VMM