APHC010493972026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] FRIDAY, THE 25th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8332/2026 Between: 1. MOTA ANNAPURNA, W/O. MENDRAGUTHI SUBBAIAH,AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, R/O. D.NO.20-149, D-BLOCK,FLAT NO.504, C T TOWERS, VENKATESWARA NAGAR,GOLLAPUDI, NTR DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep. by SHO, Ibrahimpatnam P.S.,NTR District., Rep. by Public Prosecutor,High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravathi. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. S DILIP JAYA RAM Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: 2 ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’), seeking to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.2 on bail in Crime No.316 of 2026 of Ibrahimpatnam Police Station, NTR Commissionerate, registered for the alleged offence punishable under Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’). 2. Mr.S.Dilip Jaya Ram, the learned counsel for the Petitioner submits that Petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence and has been falsely implicated in the case. She is a law-abiding citizen. She is sole earning member of the family. She has not committed any offence. The Petitioner undertakes to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. In light of the foregoing submissions, the 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 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 bail at this stage, there is a strong likelihood that she may abscond, thereby hampering the ongoing investigation and evading the process of law. In view of the foregoing submissions, it is urged that the petition be dismissed. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the Petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 3 5. As seen from the record, the Petitioner is arrayed as Accused No. 2 in this case. The Petitioner is a female aged about 55 years. She is the mother- in-law of the deceased. The deceased and Accused No.1 were wife and husband. 6. Admittedly, as per the statement of the deceased recorded by the police while she was undergoing treatment in the hospital, she stated that the Petitioner/Accused No.2 was residing separately. The allegation against the Petitioner is that she used to instigate Accused No.1 to subject the deceased to cruelty and harassment. 7. Accused No. 1 was working as an employee in the Railway Wagon Workshop. When he had gone for duty, the deceased made a phone call to him and requested him to return home even after completion of his working hours. However, Accused No.1 refused to come home as the Petitioner/Accused No.2 was present in the house. 8. The deceased further alleged that she became vexed and dejected with the conduct of her husband and mother-in-law. Unable to bear the alleged harassment, she poured petrol over herself and set herself ablaze. As she sustained severe burn injuries, she was shifted to the hospital for treatment. While undergoing treatment, she succumbed to her injuries. 9. The marriage between Accused No.1 and the deceased was solemnized on 14.08.2026. It is the specific case of the Petitioner that, ever since the marriage, she never resided with the deceased and Accused No. 1. 4 10. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of allegations levelled against the Petitioner/Accused No.2, this Court is inclined to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.2 on pre-arrest bail with some stringent conditions. 11. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following stringent conditions: i. In the event of the arrest of the Petitioner, the Petitioner/Accused No.2 shall be enlarged on bail by executing a bond for a sum of Rs.20,000/-(Rupees Twenty Thousand Only) with two sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting police officials; ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.2 shall make herself available for investigation as and when required; iii. The Petitioner/Accused No.2 shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses iv. The Petitioner/Accused No.2 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 Petitioner/Accused No.2 shall not leave the limits of the State of Andhra Pradesh without the express permission from the Station House Officer concerned. vi. The Petitioner/Accused No.2 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 Petitioner/Accused No.2 shall surrender her passport, if any, to the Investigating Officer. If she claims that she does not have passport, she shall submit affidavits to that effect to the Investigating Officer. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 25.09.2026 PRA 5 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8332 of 2026 Date: 25.09.2026 PRA