APHC010021282026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] FRIDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 340/2026 Between: 1. MURUGESH ALIAS HM MURUGESH, S/O HANU MUTTU GOWNDAR,AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS,R/O PARTHICHENU VILLAGE,KUPPAM MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 2. PRADHAN ALIAS M PRADHAN, S/O H M MURUGAN,AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS,R/O H.NO, PARTHICHENU VILLAGE,MALLANURU PANCHAYAT,KUPPAM MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 3. PANDIAN ALIAS R SUNDARA PANDYAN, S/O LATE RAJAAGED ABOUT 33YEARS,R/O MOTUR, ADIVI BADUGUR,KUPPAMCHITTOOR DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTORHIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESHAT AMARAVATI. 2. S RAJ KUMAR, S/O LATE SETU,AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS,OCC LABORER, R/O PONNANGURU VILLAGE,KUPPAM MANDAL, CHITTOOR DISTRICT ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 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 pleased to enlarge the Petitioners / Accused 1 to 3 on bail in the event of their arrest in relation to Crime No. 3/2026 of 2 Kuppam U Police Station, Chittoor District dated 10.01.2026 registered for offences under Sections 351(2), 3(5) of BNS and Sections 3(1 )(r), 3(1 )(s), 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (POA) Act. in the interest of justice and pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. MEDAPATI SANTOSH REDDY Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 340 OF 2026 ORDER:- The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the petitioners/Accused Nos.1 to 3 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No.03/2026 on the file of Kuppam U Police Station, Chittoor District, for offence punishable under Sections 351(2), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’) and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (POA) Act. 2. The case of the prosecution is that, on 09.01.2026, while the accused were questioning a contractor regarding construction of an Anna Canteen encroaching on their land, the complainant intervened for which, he was abused in the name of caste and threatened to kill him. 3. Heard Sri Medapati Santosh Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri K.Sandeep, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. Perused the record. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners would submit that the petition may be disposed of by giving protection to the petitioners vide guidelines of the Hon’ble Apex Court in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar1. 1 (2014) 8 SCC 273 4 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, on instructions, would submit that the offences registered against the petitioners are punishable with less than seven years period of imprisonment and necessary direction may be given to the concerned Station House Officer. 6. Considering the submissions, this Criminal petition is disposed of, with the following; a. Investigating Officer is at liberty to complete the investigation, in accordance with law. b. In the event of any coercive action sought to be taken against the petitioner, concerned police authorities are directed to scrupulously follow the procedure prescribed under Section 35 (3) of BNSS., [Section 41-A Cr.P.C] and the guidelines laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar’s case (supra). c. The Petitioners/Accused shall make themselves available for investigation and shall cooperate with the investigating officer for further investigation. __________________________________ DR.VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA, J Date: 23.01.2026 UPS 5 62 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 340 OF 2026 23.01.2026 UPS