1 APHC010530832026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3504] WEDNESDAY, THE 7th DAY OF OCTOBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8926/2026 Between: 1. KOTHAMASI SAMPATH KUMAR ALIAS SAMPATH SAGAR, S/O SANJEEVUDU, AGED 37 YEARS, D NO 2-51, MADDURU VILLAGE,CHAGALAMARI MANDAL, NANDYAL. 2. KOTHAMASI SANJEEV PRAKASH, S/O SANJEEVUDU,AGED 35 YEARS, MADDURU VILLAGE, CHAGALAMARI,NANDYALA DISTRICT. 3. KOTHAMASI JASMINE ALIAS JASLEEN, W/O KOTHAMASI KUMAR, AGED 35 YEARS, MADDURU VILLAGE, CHAGALAMARI, NANDYALA DISTRICT. 4. KOTHAMASI PRASANNA, S/O SANJEEVUDU,AGED 34 YEARS, D NO 2-51, MADDURU VILLAGE,CHAGALAMARI MANDAL, NANDYAL. 5. KOTHAMASI MARIYAMMA, W/O SANJEEVUDU,AGED 65 YEARS, D NO2-51, MADDURU VILLAGE,CHAGALAMARI MANDAL, NANDYAL. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, ,REP. BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, AMARAVATI.THROUGH STATION HOUSE OFFICER,J.MADUGU U/G PS, YSR KADAPA DISTRICT. 2. YARRAGUDI LEENA, AGE 35 YEARS, W/O. KOTHAMASI SAMPATHD.NO.1/591, YADLIBABU STREET, JAMMALAMADUGU,YSR KADAPA DISTRICT. 2 ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): Petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court call for the records in D.V.C No 5 of 2026 on the file of Hon’ble Junior Civil Judge Cum Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Jamalamadugu and quash the same IA NO: 1 OF 2026 Petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition,the High Court may be pleased dispense with the filing of the certified copy of D.V.C No 5 of 2026 on the file of Hon’ble Junior Civil Judge Cum Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Jamalamadugu IA NO: 2 OF 2026 Petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition,the High Court may be pleased grant stay of all further proceedings including appearance of the petitioners/respondents in D.V.C No 5 of 2026 on the file of Hon’ble Junior Civil Judge Cum Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Jamalamadugu, pending disposal of the main criminal petition, Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. P M MITHILESHWARA REDDY Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8926 of 2026 ORDER:- Instant Criminal Petition, under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, has been filed on behalf of the petitioners herein, seeking to quash the proceedings in DVC No.5 of 2026 on the file of the learned Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Jammalamadugu, claiming reliefs under Section 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Assistant Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of respondent No.2-State. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners, after arguing for some time, has confined his argument to the extent of dispensing with the presence of the petitioners before the trial Court by submitting petitioners’ practical constraints in attending before the trial Court and states that petitioners shall not dispute her identity at a later stage of proceedings. 4. On the other hand, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor contended that specific accusations have been made as against the petitioners herein and truth or otherwise of the said accusations has to be decided during the course of trial, hence, there are no grounds to quash the proceedings at this stage. So far as dispensing with the presence of the petitioners, before the trial Court, he has not opposed the same. 4 5. Since there are specific accusations that have been made as against the petitioners herein, which are all disputed questions of fact, the same can be decided during the course of trial, and this Court, in a petition filed under Section 528 of BNSS, 2023 corresponding to Section 482 Cr.P.C., would not be in a position to conduct roving enquiry into the disputed questions of fact and quash the proceedings at this stage. 6. In this context, it is apt to note the dictum held in State of Uttar Pradesh and Another Vs. Akhil Sharda and Others1, by the Apex Court in its vivid terms in the following way: 7. Having gone through the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court by which the High Court has set aside the criminal proceedings in exercise of powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C., it appears that the High Court has virtually conducted a mini trial, which as such is not permissible at this stage and while deciding the application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. As observed and held by this Court in a catena of decisions no mini trial can be conducted by the High Court in exercise of powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C., jurisdiction and at the stage of deciding the application under Section 482 Cr.P.C., the High Court cannot get into appreciation of evidence of the particular case being considered. 7. In Vishal Shah Vs. 7. In Vishal Shah Vs. Monalisha Gupta & Ors.2, Hon’ble Apex Court has observed that there is no requirement for the personal appearance of any party in the proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, because 1 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 594 2 2025 Live Law (SC) 240 5 they are quasi-criminal in nature and do not entail any penal consequences, except when there is a breach of a protection order, which is the only offence provided under Section 31 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005. 8. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is not inclined to quash the proceedings against the petitioners herein. However, due to ground realities submitted by the counsel for the petitioners, presence of the petitioners herein (Respondent No.1 to 5) before the Junior Civil Judge- Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Jammalamadugu, in DVC No.5 of 2026 is hereby dispensed with, except on those dates when the learned trial Court feels that their presence is necessary. In the event of failure of the petitioners to appear when the trial Court specifically directs, this Order shall stands automatically revoked, without recourse to this Court. 9. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is disposed of. 10. Needless to state that the petitioners are at liberty to raise all the grounds before the trial Court. As a sequel, all pending applications shall stand closed. ____________________________________ JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM Date: 07.10.2026 RMR 6 41 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 8926 of 2026 07.10.2026 W RMR