APHC010021292024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI WEDNESDAY, THE 12th DAY OF AUGUST 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 277 OF 2024 Between: 1. RAMIREDDY CHENNAKESAVA REDDY, (A1) S/o Late Chenna Reddy, Aged about 62 years, R/o Ramireddypalli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 2. Reddam Venkata Reddy, (A2) S/o Late Subbi Reddy, Aged about 62 years, R/o Chenchugaripalli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 3. Vengala Krishna Reddy, (A3) S/o Venkata Reddy, Aged about 48 years, R/o Ramireddy Palli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 4. R. Padmavathi, (A5) W/o R. Chennakesava Reddy, Aged about 48 years, R/o Ramireddy Palli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 2 5. R. Sravanthi, (A6) W/o Om Prakash Reddy, Aged about 28 years, R/o Ramireddy Palli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 6. Chilaka Mallikarjuna Reddy, (A7) S/o Peda Narapa Reddy, Aged about 48 years, R/o Ramireddy Palli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 7. Bathina Karunakar Reddy, (A8) S/o B. Nagi Reddy, Aged about 48 years, R/o Bathinagari Palli Village, N.P.Kunta mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 8. Chilaka Saraswathi, (A9) W/o C. Mallikarjuna Reddy, Aged about 38 years, R/o Ramireddy Palli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. 9. Chilaka Masthan Reddy, (A10) S/o Konda Reddy, Aged about 40 years, R/o Ramireddy PaIli Village, Mudigubba mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. ...Petitioners 3 AND 1. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, Station House Officer, Kothacheruvu Police Station, Ananthapuramu District, Rep.by its Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh, at Amaravati. 2. Pedda Lingappagaari Siva Reddy, S/o. Gangi Reddy, R/9. Darga Street, Kothacheruvu mandal, Sri Sathya Sai District. ...Respondents 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 quash the proceeding in C.C. No. 124 of 2019 on the file of the Hon'ble Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Puttaparthi, against the petitioners/Accused Nos.1-3 AND 5-10 and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2024 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 stay of all further proceedings in C.C. No. 124 of 2019 on the file of the Hon'ble Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Puttaparthy, against the petitioners/Accused nos. 1-3 AND 5-10 and pass 4 Counsel for the Petitioners: KOTI REDDY IDAMAKANTI Counsel for the Respondents: SREEKANTH REDDY AMBATI Counsel for the Respondents: PUBLIC PROSECUTOR (AP) 5 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 277 of 2024 The Court made the following Order: Instant Criminal Petition, under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitha, 2023, has been filed on behalf of the petitioners herein (A1 to A3 & A5 to A10), seeking to quash the proceedings in CC No.124 of 2019 on the file of the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Puttaparthy, for the offences punishable under Section 448 and 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Assistant Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of respondent No.1-State. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners, after arguing for some time, has confined his argument to the extent of dispensing with the presence of the petitioners before the trial Court by submitting petitioners’ practical constraints in attending before the trial Court and states that petitioners shall not dispute his identity at a later stage of proceedings. 6 4. On the other hand, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor contended that specific accusations have been made as against the petitioners herein and truth or otherwise of the said accusations has to be decided during the course of trial, hence, there are no grounds to quash the proceedings at this stage. So far as dispensing with the presence of the petitioners, before the trial Court, he has not opposed the same. 5. Since there are specific accusations that have been made as against the petitioners herein, which are all disputed questions of fact, the same can be decided during the course of trial, and this Court, in a petition filed under Section 528 of BNSS, 2023 corresponding to Section 482 Cr.P.C., would not be in a position to conduct roving enquiry into the disputed questions of fact and quash the proceedings at this stage. 6. In this context, it is apt to note the dictum held in State of Uttar Pradesh and Another Vs. Akhil Sharda and Others1, by the Apex Court in its vivid terms in the following way: 7. Having gone through the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court by which the High Court has set aside the criminal proceedings in exercise of 1 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 594 7 powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C., it appears that the High Court has virtually conducted a mini trial, which as such is not permissible at this stage and while deciding the application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. As observed and held by this Court in a catena of decisions no mini trial can be conducted by the High Court in exercise of powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C., jurisdiction and at the stage of deciding the application under Section 482 Cr.P.C., the High Court cannot get into appreciation of evidence of the particular case being considered. 7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is not inclined to quash the proceedings against the petitioners herein. However, due to ground realities submitted by the counsel for the petitioners, presence of petitioners herein (A1 to A4) before the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Puttaparthy, in C.C.No.124 of 2019 is hereby dispensed with, except on those dates when the learned trial Court feels that their presence is necessary. In the event of failure of the petitioners to appear, when the trial Court specifically directs, this Order shall stands automatically revoked, without recourse to this Court. 8. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is disposed of. 9. Needless to state that the petitioners are at liberty to raise all the grounds before the trial Court. 8 Interlocutory applications, if any, pending shall stand closed. ____________________________________ JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM Date: 12.08.2026 PSA 9 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 277 of 2024 Date: 12.08.2026 PSA