1 APHC010463242026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3504] MONDAY, THE 7th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7737/2026 Between: 1. VALLEPU VENKATA RAO, S/O. VENKATESWARLU,AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, PALLAMALLI VILLAGE,CHIMAKURTHY MANDAL, PRAKASAM DISTRICT.,PRESENTLY RESIDING AT CHANDRAMMA NAGAR,YELLAMMA BANDA, KUKATPALLY, HYDERABAD. 2. VALLEPU SESHAMMA, W/O. VENKATESWARLU,AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, PALLAMALLI VILLAGE, CHIMAKURTHY MANDAL, PRAKASAM DISTRICT.,PRESENTLY RESIDING AT CHANDRAMMA NAGAR,YELLAMMA BANDA, KUKATPALLY, HYDERABAD. 3. GUNJA REVATHI, W/O. SRINU,AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, R/O.SAMANTHAPUDI VILLAGE,DARSI MANDAL. PRAKASAM DISTRICT. 4. CHALLA PRABHAVATHI, W/O. VENKATESWARLU,AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, R/O.MOHAN BABU THOTA,NAIDUPETA TOWN, THIRUPATHI DISTRICT. 5. CHALLA VENKATESWARLU, S/O. SANNASAIAH,AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, R/O.VEDURU PATTU VILLAGE,DORAVARI SATRAM MANDAL, SPSR NELLORE DISTRICT. 6. GUNJI RENUKA ALIAS YALLAMMA, W/O. RAVINDRA,AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/O. QUTBULLAPUR,RANGA REDDY DISTRICT, TELANGANA STATE. ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) 2 AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI.THROUGH STATION HOUSE OFFICER,CHIMAKURTHY POLICE STATION, PRAKASAM DISTRICT. 2. VALLEPU ARUNA KUMARI, W/O VENKATA RAO,AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/O. PALLAMALLI VILLAGE,CHIMAKURTHY MANDAL, PRAKASAM DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): 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 pleased to call for records and Quash the Charge Sheet in C.C.No. 180 of 2024, on the file of the Court of the Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class Excise Court, Ongole, against the Petitioners/Accused No.1 to 6 for the offences punishable Under Sections 85, 115(2) r/w 3(5) BNS, and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2026 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 all further proceedings including appearance of the petitioners/Accused No. 1 to 6 in C.C.No. 180 of 2024, on the file of the Court of the Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class Excise Court, Ongole, pending disposal of the above quash petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. MADHAVA RAO NALLURI Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7737 of 2026 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 A6), seeking to quash the proceedings in CC No.180 of 2024 on the file of Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class for Excise, Ongole for the offences punishable under Section 85, 115(2) read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 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 (A1 to A6) before the trial Court by submitting petitioners’ practical constraints in attending before the trial Court and states that petitioners shall not dispute their identity at a later stage of proceedings. 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. 4 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 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. 12022 LiveLaw (SC) 594 5 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 A6) before the Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class for Excise, Ongole, in C.C.No.180 of 2024 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. As a sequel, all pending applications shall stand closed. ____________________________________ JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM Date: 07.09.2026 RMR 6 08 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7737 of 2026 07.09.2026 W RMR