APHC010183612026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2711/2026 Between: EEDAGOTTU NAGENDRA, @IDAGOTU NAGENDRA, S/O.SHESHAIAH,AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R/O UPPAGUNTAPALLI, LAKSHMIPALLI,NANDYALAMPETA, YSR KADAPA DISTRICT,ANDHRA PRADESH, 516172. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Rep. by Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh At Amaravathi, Guntur District,522239.Respondent ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1.MANTAPAMPALLE RAMPRASAD Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1.PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2711 OF 2026 ORDER: This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of the BNSS, has been filed by the Petitioner herein/Accused No.5, seeking regular bail, in Crime No.30 of 2024 of RSASTF Police Station, Tirupati, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 379 read with 34, 120-B, 109 of Indian Penal Code, Section 20(1)(d)(1)(a) read with 20(1)(c) ii, iii, iv, x, 36(a) read with 32-A, 29(4)(a)(i) of A.P. Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016. 2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 28.04.2024 at about 9.00 p.m., at Errabavi Cheruvu Rastha, near Chandanaala Bodu, Itukalapalli Forest Beat, the Police along with staff FBO, FSO while on combined RS combing duty by checking entry and exit, dumping and loading points towards Savichettypalli Jyothi road side, reached to the scene of offence, where they noticed one lorry two motor cycles, some persons loading some logs. The police caught them and seized 101 Red Sanders Logs and registered the above case. 3. Heard Sri Mantapampalle Ramprasad, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 3 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner has been implicated in the present case solely on the basis of the confession statements of A.1 and A.2. It is further submitted that the petitioner/A.5, along with A.6 and A.7, was engaged merely as a labourer for cutting red sandalwood trees, and that the case of the petitioner stands on the same footing as that of A.7. It is further contended that a Coordinate Bench of this Court, by order dated 13.10.2025 in Crl.P.No.10160 of 2025, was pleased to grant bail to A.7. Learned counsel would also submit that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 09.03.2026. Accordingly, learned counsel prays that this Court may be pleased to grant regular bail to the petitioner. 5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that court may pass appropriate orders. 6. Considering the submissions made and in view of the fact that A.7 was granted regular bail by this Court by order dated 13.10.2025 in Crl.P.No.10160 of 2025, and as the case of the petitioner stands on the same footing as that of A.7, this Court is inclined to release the petitioner on regular bail. 7. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed subject to the following conditions: 4 i. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall be enlarged on bail subject to executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) with two sureties for a like sum each, to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class- cum-Special Court for Trial of Cases relating to Red Sanders Smuggling, Tirupati. ii. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall appear before the Station House Officer, concerned, once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., till filing of the charge sheet in this case. iii. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall not leave the limits of the State of Andhra Pradesh without prior permission from the Station House Officer concerned. iv. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future. v. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall cooperate with the investigating officer in further investigation of the case and shall make himself available for interrogation by the investigating officer as and when required. vi. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall not, directly or indirectly, make inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer. 5 vii. The petitioner/accused No.7 shall surrender his passport, if any, to the investigating officer. If he claims that he does not have a passport, he shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the Investigating Officer. 8. In the event of violation of any of the above conditions, the prosecution shall be at liberty to seek cancellation of bail. 9. It is also made clear that the observations made in this order are only for the purpose of deciding the bail application and they shall not be construed as opinion on the merits of the Crime. 10. Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is allowed. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed. __________________________________________ DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date: 15.04.2026. SAB 6 96 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2711 of 2026 Dt.15.04.2026 SAB