[ 3396] IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY FIRST DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX :PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAP^ CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 178 OF 2026 m ■'Vi ¥3? Between: Shaik Baji, S/o Karimulla, Aged about 20 years, C/Muslim, R/o Vepachettu Centre, Yerrabalem village, Mangalagiri Mandal, Guntur District. Petitioner/Accused AND 1. The State of Andhra Pradesh, rep by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of A. P., Amaravati 2. Mother of Victim. Respondents Petition under Section 480 & 483 of BNSS, is filed praying that in the circumstances stated in the memorandum of grounds filed in support of the Criminal Petition, the High Court may be pleased to enlarge the petitioner bail in Crime No. 334/2025 on the file of Satyanarayanapuram Police Station, for the offences punishable U/s 64(2)(m), 75, 78, 351(2) BNS and Sec. 6 of POCSO ACT. The petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof and upon hearing the arguments of SRI PILLI SUNDEEP Advocate for the Petitioner, and of ASSISTANT PUBLIC PROSECUTOR for the Respondent No.1 and the Court made the following ORDER on 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 178/2026 ORDER: The instant petition under Sections 480 and 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2024 (for short ‘BNSS’) read with Sections 437 and 439 of Code of Criminal Procedure (for short ‘Cr.P.C.’), has been filed by the Petitioner/Accused, seeking regular bail in Crime No.334 of 2025 on the file of Satyanarayanapuram Police Station, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 64(2)(m), 75, 78, 351(2) BNS and Section 6 of Section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (for short‘POCSO Act’). Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the complainant who is the 2. mother of the victim girl, lodged a report stating that the accused got acquaintance with the victim girl through Instagram, developed friendship, in the name of love taken her personal photographs and videos, kept her under threat to post her photographs and videos in social media, had forcible sexual intercourse repeatedly with the victim girl against her will. The victim girl is aged about 16 years and 5 months at the time of first occurrence. Based on the report lodged by the mother of the victim, the present crime has been registered. During the course of investigation, the accused was arrested on 26.11.2025. Heard Sri Pilli Sundeep, learned counsel for the Petitioner and learned 3. Assistant Public Prosecutor, representing the State/Respondent. ( 3 Learned counsel for the Petitioner/Accused would submit that the Petitioner is innocent of the offences alleged against him. Learned counsel would finally submit that the Petitioner is innocent of the alleged offence. Hence, prayed to enlarge the Petitioner on bail. 4. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the investigation so far is concerned, seven witnesses were examined and Statement of the victim under Section 164 Cr.P.C., was also recorded and Court may pass appropriate Orders. Considering the submissions and a keen perusal of the material on record, since the crucial part of the investigation is completed, statement of the victim was also recorded by the learned Magistrate and the fact that the Petitioner has been in judicial custody since 26.11,2025, the question of tampering with the evidence, does not arise. Further, as the Petitioner has permanent abode, the question of fleeing away from the Jurisdiction, in the event of grant of bail, also does not arise and considering the age of the petitioner, this Court is inclined to enlarge the Petitioner on bail. 6. 8. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following conditions; The Petitioner/Accused shall be released on bail on his executing a personal bond for Rs.20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand only) with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned III Additional Judicial Magistrate Court, Vijayawada. I. ■■ 4 On release, the Petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer, concerned, twice in a week i.e., on Wednesday and Sunday, between 10.00 a.m. and 05.00 p.m., till further Orders. The Petitioner is directed not to hamper the investigation, tamper with the prosecution witnesses and meet/contact the victim girl either physically or over phone or any other means. It is made clear that the Petitioner shall scrupulously comply with the above conditions and breach of any of the above conditions will be viewed seriously and prosecution is at liberty to move an application for cancellation of the bail. II. IV. As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. SDI- G.HELANAIDU DEPUTY REG STRAR //TRUE COPY// !i / a / SECTION OFFICER To, 1. The III Additional Judicial Magistrate Court, Vijayawada. The Superintendent, Central Jail, Nellore, SPSR Nellore District. The SHO, Satyanarayanapuram Police Station, Vijayawada. One CC to SRI. PILLI SUNDEEP, Advocate [OPUC] Two CCs to PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] One spare copy 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. ADP i HIGH COURT DR.VJP,J DATED:21/01/2026 BAIL ORDER CRLP.No.178 of 2026 ALLOWED