APHC010011322026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3521] TUESDAY,THE TWENTY SEVENTH DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 1244/2026 Between: Puppala Harinadh ...PETITIONER AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. VENKATA DURGA RAO ANANTHA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR HOME The Court made the following: ORDER: The Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief:- “…to issue a writ or order or direction more particularly one in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS declaring that the Respondent Nos.4 and 5 cannot interfere in any civil money disputes between the citizens and cannot take on themselves the function of a civil court at the instance of third parties and threatening the petitioner to settle the money disputes with the third parties being illegal arbitrary and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India apart from being violative of Principles of Natural Justice and pass such other order(s)….” 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home. 2 3. Sri K. Ranga Srinivas, learned counsel representing Sri A. Venkata Durga Rao, the learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the police have been interfering in a civil dispute between the petitioner and other persons. 4. Sri Ajay Babu, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, on instructions, submits that one Makineni Pedda Rao lodged a complaint before the Station House Officer, Prathipadu, on 02.11.2025 against the petitioner. Based on the said complaint, the 4th respondent called the petitioner for a preliminary enquiry. However, the petitioner has not turned up at the police station till date. He further submits that, as per Section 173(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity, “the BNSS”), the Station House Officer is empowered to conduct a preliminary enquiry on any complaint, and if the same discloses a civil dispute, the police may inform the parties accordingly. However, when a complaint prima facie discloses a purely civil dispute pending between the petitioner and other persons, the police cannot interfere in such civil dispute. 5. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the 4th respondent not to interfere with the personal liberty of the petitioner at the behest of any third parties in relation to any civil dispute. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. ________________________ Dr.Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J. Date: 27.01.2026 KMS 3 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO WRIT PETITION No.1244 of 2026 Date: 27.01.2026 KMS 205