APHC010676012025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] TUESDAY, THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12913/2025 Between: 1. THORLIKONDA KRISHNAVENI, D/O. T SAMBAIAH, FEMALE, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARSOCC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CEO, GDCC BANKR/O. FLAT NO. 001, MEENAKSHI OAKS APARTMENTS0PP. SKYLARK TOWERS, 12 LANE,SYMALA NAGAR, GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, ,REP. BY THE SHO, NALLAPADU PSGUNTUR DISTRICTTHROUGH THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORHIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH 2. THE DIVISIONAL COOPERATIVE OFFICER GUNTUR, RESPONDENT NO.2 IS IMPLEADED AS PER THE COURT ORDER DATED 18.12.2025 IN CRL.P.NO.12913 OF 2025. ...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 direct the SHO of Nallapadu PS, Guntur District to enlarge the Petitioner on BAIL in the event of her arrest by the Police in connection with FIR No. 1281/2025 Dt. 08.12.2025 registered on the file of Nallapadu PS, Guntur District and to pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 2 Petition under Section 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 enlarge the Petitioner on Interim Anticipatory Bail pending adjudication of the present Criminal Petition or to pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. PEDDIBHOTLA VENKATA SAI RAJESH Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12913/2025 ORDER : The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the Petitioner/Accused No.2 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with FIR No. 1281/2025 Dt. 08.12.2025 registered on the file of Nallapadu PS, Guntur District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 120b, 420, 409 read with 34 IPC. 2. Heard Sri Peddibhotla Venkata Sai Rajesh, learned counsel for the petitioner and Ms.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 3. Case of the prosecution, in brief is that on 08.12.2025 at 16.00 hours, a report was lodged by the complainant K., Seena Reddy, Divisional Cooperative Officer, Guntur, stating that accused Nos.1 to 11 with criminal conspiracy and common intention, misappropriated funds and thereby, caused loss to the bank, by sanctioning loans to fraudulent groups. After conducting a detailed enquiry and basing on the instructions of the District Collector, a report was lodged. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner herein is a female aged about 50 years who is working as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Guntur District Co-operative Central Bank and is placed under suspension. The allegations against the petitioner are that she had 4 acquiesced in all the unilateral, illegitimate, impertinent and imprudent decisions of the Chairperson on cash credit loans though they are in contravention of the bylaws and not in the interest of the Bank. He would further submit that a Coordinate Bench of this Court, vide order dated 18.12.2025, while granting interim protection to the petitioner, observed that there is no clear-cut finding in the enquiry report that she had misappropriated or resorted to illegal gratification and it is also observed that she is the watchdog; she does not have control over the Chairperson or the members of the Bank and she needs to work under the control of the Chairperson and the members of the Board. Hence, he finally prays that the interim protection granted by a Coordinate Bench of this Court may be continued by imposing any conditions. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the petitioner is not entitled for anticipatory bail and investigation is still pending. She would further submit that the petitioner played a crucial role in commission of the offence and she is part of the conspiracy and accomplice. Interrogation of the petitioner is very much necessary for the purpose of investigation. She finally prays for dismissal of the petition. 6. As can be seen from the record, a Coordinate Bench of this Court, vide order dated 18.12.2025, granted interim protection to the petitioner, observing that she is merely a watchdog and does not have control over the Chairperson or the members of the Bank. She is required to function under the control of the Chairperson and the members of the Board. It was further observed that 5 the allegation against the petitioner is that she did not reject the proposals made by the Chairperson. 7. Considering the submissions made and upon a fair look at the material placed on record before this Court, several contentions raised in the present petition are disputed factual aspects of the matter which require a full-fledged investigation during trial. Further, this Court also takes into consideration the observations made by the learned Coordinate Bench in its order dated 18.12.2025 that there is no clear-cut finding in the enquiry report that the petitioner had misappropriated or resorted to illegal gratification and that she is only a watchdog without control over the Chairperson or the members of the Bank. In view of the same, this Court is inclined to continue the said interim protection, subject to such conditions as may be deemed fit and proper in the circumstances of the case. In that scenario, since it is an admitted fact that in the present case interim protection has been granted by a Coordinate Bench of this Court on 18.12.2025 to the petitioner, and considering the fact that nothing is brought to the notice of this Court that the petitioner has misused the liberty which is granted to her, this is not the stage to determine the culpability of the petitioner by accepting the allegations as such. In view of the same, this Court is inclined to continue the said interim protection granted by the Coordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 18.12.2025 subject to the following conditions: i. The interim protection which is given to the petitioner from arrest in this matter be continued till the disposal of the 6 matter, subject to her conduct and compliance of the conditions referred infra; ii. The petitioner shall make herself available for investigation as and when required and shall cooperate with the Investigating Officer for further investigation. iii. The petitioner shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses; iv. The petitioner shall surrender her passport, if any, to the Investigating Officer. If she claims that she does not have passport, she shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the Court concerned. v. The petitioner shall furnish all information and produce any material documents relating to the present crime, if required, to facilitate and conclude the investigation. vi. The petitioner shall not leave the country, without express permission from the concerned Court. vii. The petitioner shall furnish her working mobile number to the Investigating Officer to monitor his movements. viii. The petitioner shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned, once in a week i.e., on every Sunday, between 10:00 AM and 05:00 PM, till further orders. ix. In violation of any conditions imposed by this Court, the prosecution is at liberty to file a petition for cancellation of the interim protection from arrest granted to the petitioner. 7 8. Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is disposed of. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. ___________________________________ DR.VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA, J Date: 17.03.2026. UPS 8 112 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 12913/2025 Dt: 17.03.2026 UPS