APHC010152462026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] MONDAY, THE THIRTIETH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2316/2026 Between: 1. PEDDINTI JAGADEESH ALIAS GOLLAPALLI JAGADEESH, S/O PEDDINTI KRISHNAIAH AGED 41 YEARS,OCC PRESS REPORTER OF ANDHRA PRABHA DAILY NEWS PAPER,R/O. GOLLAPAILI VILLAGE, RAPTHADU MANDAL, ANANTAPURAMU DISTRICT ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, THROUGH STATION HOUSE OFFICER,RAPTHADU POLICE STATION,ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICTREP., BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT AT AMARAVATHI. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT 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 Petitioner on bail in Crime No.76/2025 on the file of RapthaduPolice Station, Ananthapuramu District, in the interest of justice. Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. P MADHUKAR REDDY Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2316/2026 ORDER: This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the BNSS, has been filed by the Petitioner herein/Accused No.9, seeking regular bail, in Crime No.76/2025 on the file of RapthaduPolice Station, Ananthapuramu District, registered for the offences under Sections 103(1), 109, 118(1), 118(2), 351(3) r/w 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha (for short “BNS”). 2. The case of the prosecution is that on 17.05.2025 at approximately 09:30 AM, in the fields of Gangulakunta Village, Rapthadu Mandal, a group of accused persons motivated by a longstanding land dispute concerning Survey No.5 formed an unlawful assembly and, armed with sickles, launched a fatal assault on Chigicherla Narayanareddy and his wife Chigicherla Mutyalamma, inflicting multiple grievous injuries. Mutyalamma died on the spot, while Narayanareddy succumbed to injuries at Government General Hospital, Ananthapuramu at 12:50 PM the same day. The incident was reported at 01:30 PM by their son, Chigicherla Pradeepkumar Reddy. 3. Heard Sri P.Madhukar Reddy, learned counsel for the Petitioner and Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 4. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the alleged offence, without any 3 cogent evidence linking to the commission of the crime. It is contended that the petitioner is the sole breadwinner of his family and his continued incarceration would cause undue hardship and prejudice to the dependents of the petitioner. The Petitioner undertakes to abide by any conditions that this Court may impose while granting bail to the Petitioner. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that the investigation is still underway and several material witnesses are yet to be examined. It is submitted that enlargement of the Petitioners on bail at this stage would seriously hamper the progress of the investigation and may result in non cooperation from the Petitioners. She would further submit that the present case is a double murder case. There is prima facie case established against the petitioner. She would further submit that this is a second bail application filed by the petitioner. The earlier bail application was dismissed by a Coordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 11.11.2025 in Crl.P.No.11106 of 2025. She would further submit that there are no change of circumstances from the date of dismissal of earlier bail application. She finally prays for dismissal of the petition. 6. Considering the submissions and on perusal of the material on record and in view of the nature and gravity of the offence alleged against the petitioner, the stage of the investigation, and the fact that there are no change of circumstances from the date of dismissal of the earlier bail application, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner/accused No.9 on bail at this stage. 4 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: 30.03.2026. UPS 5 71 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2316/2026 Dt.30.03.2026 UPS