APHC010090912026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] TUESDAY, THE THIRD DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 1491/2026 Between: 1. VELPURI NAGA BHARATHACHARI ALIAS BHARATH, S/O NAGAMAYACHARI, R/O KOBBARIKAYALA SAMBHAIAH COLONY,SARAGADI GUNTA, INDIRA COLONY, GUNTUR. 2. GOURA PRADEEP, S/O DHANUNJAYA RAO,R/O D.NO 15-6-27, NEAR JENDA CHETTU,REDIA BAZAAR, OLD GUNTUR. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, NUNNA POLICE STATION, NTR DISTRICT,REP THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,CITY CIVIL COURT BUILDINGS, VIJAYAWADA,N.T.R DISTRICT. 520002 2. MOTHER OF VICTIM, SA ...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 may be pleased to release the petitioners /Accused No 3 & 4 on bail in connection with the Crime No.509 of 2025 of Nunna Police Station, Vijayawada, N.TR District Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. KOLUSU SOUNDARYA Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 2 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 1491/2026 ORDER: This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the BNSS, has been filed by the Petitioners herein/Accused Nos.3 and 4, seeking regular bail, in Crime No.509 of 2025 of Nunna Police Station, Vijayawada, N.TR District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 64(1), 96, 127(2), 49, 137(2) r/w 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023 (for short “BNS”) and Sections 4 and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. 2. The case of the prosecution in brief is that the A1 developed acquaintance with the victim girl and on 18.12.2025, at 00-30 hours, A1 called the victim girl to go out in jolly manner, then, she came out of her house without informing anyone. A1 along with Anand came there in car, she boarded the car, they told her that they will take her to Guntur but took her to Sattenapalli to a hotel room. They returned back at 08:00 hours. On the same day, A1 phoned her and informed her to go shopping then, the victim girl left her house with her friend and accused took the victim girl in car along with his friends to a hotel room in Sattenapalli. The friends of A1 were beside the room and the A1 with his deceitful words committed penetrative sexual assault against the victim girl on the pretext of marriage forcibly. Later, the accused dropped the victim girl at Sattenapalli Bus stand on the road side and went away. 4 3. Heard Ms. Kolusu Soundarya, learned counsel for the petitioners/accused Nos. 3 and 4 and Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the present case. The petitioners were arrested on 21.12.2025 and have been in judicial custody since then. It is contended that the investigation may have been completed by now, and there is no likelihood of the petitioners threatening witnesses or hampering the investigation. It is further submitted that the mother of the victim girl has fabricated the case, as the accused and the victim were on friendly terms for the past two years. The petitioners are merely friends of Accused No.1. It is also submitted that the petitioners are the sole breadwinners of their respective families, and their continued incarceration would cause severe hardship to their families. Hence, the learned counsel prays for grant of regular bail to the petitioners. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, on behalf of the State, opposed the petition and submitted that the investigation is not yet complete, as examination of certain crucial witnesses is still pending. The FSL report has also not yet been received. It is further submitted that apart from the statement of the victim girl recorded, during the course of investigation, the Investigating Officer has collected call data records and CCTV footage to establish the role of the petitioners in the offence. She further contended that there are specific 5 allegations against the petitioners that they assisted Accused No.1 in the commission of the crime. Hence, she prayed for dismissal of the petition. 6. Considering the submissions made and on perusal of the material on record, as rightly pointed out by the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, the investigation is still in progress and key steps like examination of witnesses and receipt of the FSL report are pending. The material collected so far prima facie shows the involvement of the petitioners. Therefore, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioners at this stage. 7. Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is dismissed. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________________ DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date: 03.03.2026. UPS 6 227 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 1491/2026 Dt.03.03.2026 UPS