APHC010410372026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI TUESDAY, THE 25th DAY OF AUGUST 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 6739 OF 2026 Between: 1. N Srinivasulu alias BSP Srinu, S/o M. Narasappa,Aged about 47 years, Occ Business,Ro D.N0.3-79B, Harijanawada, Jai Bheem Nagar,V. Kota town and mandal, Chittoor District.Aadhar No.834860296425. ...Petitioner AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTORHIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESHAMARAVATI. ...Respondent Counsel for the Petitioner: M/S INDUS LAW FIRM Counsel for the Respondent PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following order: 2 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.6739 of 2026 Dated 25.08.2026 ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Sections 480 and 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity, ‘the BNSS’), seeking to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.3 on bail in Crime No.70 of 2026 of V. Kota Police Station, Chittoor District, for the offences punishable under Sections 103(1), 118(1) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor. Perused the record. 3. Sri N.V. Sumanth, the learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this is the second bail application filed by the petitioner/Accused No.3. The first bail application filed by the petitioner in Crl.P.No.4832 of 2026 was dismissed by this Court on 06.07.2026. The petitioner was arrested on 17.05.2026 and has been in judicial custody for the past 99 days. It is submitted that the alleged role of the petitioner in the commission of the offence came to light from the confessional statements of Accused Nos.1 & 2. It is further submitted that a preliminary charge sheet has already been filed and that, as per the prosecution, the deceased was allegedly killed by Accused Nos.1 and 2 at the instance of the petitioner/ Accused No.3. It is also alleged that Accused Nos.1 and 3 were involved in settlements. The petitioner contends that he was not present at the scene of offence and that Accused No.4 have already been enlarged on bail by the learned IX Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chittoor, vide order dated 13.07.2026 in Crl.M.P.No.576 3 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.6739 of 2026 Dated 25.08.2026 of 2026. It is further submitted that the petitioner had no antecedents prior to registration of the present FIR and that the subsequent cases were registered against him after registration of the present crime. The petitioner undertakes to abide by any conditions that may be imposed by this Court and prays for enlargement on bail. 4. Per contra, Mr. A. Sai Rohith, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application and submitted that the petitioner is a rowdy-sheet holder of V. Kota Police Station. After thorough investigation, the charge sheet has been filed and the accusation against the petitioner is well founded. It is further submitted that the deceased was a journalist and that the petitioner is alleged to have instigated Accused Nos.1 and 2 to commit the murder. Hence, it is contended that there are no merits in the present bail application and the same is liable to be dismissed. 5. On perusal of the record, it is noticed that the petitioner has been arrayed as Accused No.3 and was arrested on 17.05.2026. He has been in the judicial custody for the past 100 days. This Court has already considered the bail request of the petitioner in the earlier bail application and dismissed the same. Except the confession of the Petitioner/Accused No.3 given before the mediators in the presence of the police officials no other incriminating material collected by the investigating officer. 6. In this regard, it is apposite to issue certain directions to the Superintendent of Police, Chittoor District, to take appropriate steps for 4 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.6739 of 2026 Dated 25.08.2026 imparting training to the Investigating Officers, particularly those in the cadre of Inspectors of Police and Sub-Divisional Police Officers, so as to acquaint them with the principles governing the law of evidence relating to confessions, their admissibility and evidentiary value, and the manner in which evidence is required to be collected in grave offences in the course of investigation. The Investigating Officers shall be sensitized to the necessity of conducting scientific and independent investigations and shall not rest the prosecution case solely on the confessional statements of accused persons allegedly made in the presence of mediators, without collecting corroborative evidence in support thereof. The Superintendent of Police, Chittoor shall submit a compliance report to the Registrar (Judicial) with necessary details within three months. 7. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the allegations levelled against the Petitioner/Accused No.3, this Court is inclined to enlarge the Petitioner/Accused No.6 on bail with some stringent conditions. 8. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following stringent conditions: i. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall be enlarged on bail subject to him executing a bond for a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs only) with three sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Palamaner. 5 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.6739 of 2026 Dated 25.08.2026 ii. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned on every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. until cognizance is taken by the learned Trial Court. In addition thereto, the Petitioner shall also appear before the learned Magistrate and the learned Trial Court as and when required. iv. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall not leave the limits of the Andhra Pradesh without prior permission from the Station House Officer concerned. v. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future. vi. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 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. vii. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall not, directly or indirectly, make any 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. viii. The Petitioner/Accused No.3 shall surrender his passport, if any, to the investigating officer. If he claims that he does not have passport, he shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the Investigating Officer. _________________________ DR. Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J Date: 25.08.2026 KMS Copy to: Superintendent of Police, Chittoor, Director General of Police, Mangalagiri, Registrar (Judicial), High Court of Andhra Pradesh 6 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.6739 of 2026 Dated 25.08.2026 THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 6739 of 2026 Date: 25.08.2026 KMS