APHC010206462026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY SECOND DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3265/2026 Between: 1. KATURI SUBBARAO, S/O. MOHAN RAO, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, R/O. D.NO.94-21-1519/2, HANUMAN NAGAR, 1ST LANE, AT AGRAHARAM, GUNTUR, GUNTUR DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, THROUGH S.H.O., ACB - GUNTUR RANGE P.S., GUNTUR DISTRICT., REP.BY ITS SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT AMARAVATI. ...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 may be pleased to direct release of the Petitioner on Bail in the event of her arrest in connection with FIR No.05/RCO- ACB-GNT/2026 on the file of ACB, Guntur Range Police Station, Guntur, Guntur District., and pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused: 1. S DILIP JAYA RAM Counsel for the Respondent/complainant: 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 2 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3265/2026 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, for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with FIR No.05/RCO-ACB-GNT/2026 on the file of ACB, Guntur Range Police Station, Guntur, Guntur District, registered for the offences punishable under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 2. The case of the prosecution is that the de facto complainant submitted a report stating that he has been arrayed as Accused No.1 (A1) in Crime No.151 of 2026, registered under Section 318(4) read with Section 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, on the file of Nallapadu Police Station, in connection with an alleged default in payment of an amount. Pursuant to the registration of the said crime, the de facto complainant was summoned to the police station by the accused, who allegedly demanded a sum of Rs.8,00,000/- as bribe for settling the case, and further threatened to implicate his family members in the said crime in the event of non-payment. 3. Heard Sri S.Dilip Jaya Ram, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri S.Syam Sunder Rao, learned Special Public Prosecutor for ACB for the State. Perused the record. 3 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petition may be disposed of by giving protection to the petitioner vide guidelines of the Hon’ble Apex Court in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar1. He would further submit that the petitioner is ready to cooperate for the investigation. 5. Learned Special Public Prosecutor, on instructions, would submit that the offence registered against the petitioner is punishable with less than seven years period of imprisonment. He would further submit that a petition has been filed before the learned Trial Court seeking to conduct a voice test. The learned Trial Court has allowed the said petition and directed the petitioner to appear for the voice test scheduled to be conducted on 27.04.2026. He finally submits that the Court may pass appropriate orders. 6. Considering the submissions, this Criminal petition is disposed of, with the following; a. Investigating Officer is at liberty to complete the investigation, in accordance with law. b. In the event of any coercive action sought to be taken against the petitioner, concerned police authorities are further directed to scrupulously follow the procedure prescribed under Section 35 (3) of BNSS., [Section 41-A Cr.P.C] and the guidelines laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar’s case (supra). 1 (2014) 8 SCC 273 4 c. The petitioner shall make himself available for investigation and shall cooperate with the investigating officer for further investigation. d. The petitioner is directed to appear for the voice test scheduled to be conducted on 27.04.2026 without any fail. Consequently, miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. __________________________________ DR.VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA, J Date: 22.04.2026. Note: Issue CC today, B/o. UPS 5 40 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 3265 OF 2026 Dt: 22.04.2026 Note: Issue CC today, B/o. UPS