APHC010461082026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE 3 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7695/2026 Between: 1. MACHINENI VENKATA LAKSHMI, W/O. LATE VENKATESULU, 53 YEARS, R/O D. NO.6 ANANTAPUR MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT. 2. BATTA RAMA SUBBAYYA, S/O. BATTA MALLANNA, YEARS, R/O. D. NO. 1 KANAGANAPALLE MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT. 3. BATTA LAKSHMI NARAYANA, S/O. BATTA MALLANNA, YEARS, R/O. OC COLONY, MUTHAVAKUNTIA VILLAGE, KANAGANAPALLE MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. OFFICER,ANNAVARAM POLICE STATION, KAKINADA, PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, AMARAVATHI 2. KODAVATI DEVI SRIJA, W/O LATE MACHINENI MAHESH CHOWDARI, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O. SANKHAVARAM VILLAGE, SANKHAVARAM MANDAL, Petition under Section 482 of circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds High Court Call for the records in IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE 3rd DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 7695/2026 MACHINENI VENKATA LAKSHMI, W/O. LATE VENKATESULU, 53 YEARS, R/O D. NO.6-2-766, RAM NAGAR EXTENSION, ANANTAPUR MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT. BATTA RAMA SUBBAYYA, S/O. BATTA MALLANNA, AGED 60 YEARS, R/O. D. NO. 1-89, MUTHAVAKUNTIA VILLAGE, KANAGANAPALLE MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT. BATTA LAKSHMI NARAYANA, S/O. BATTA MALLANNA, YEARS, R/O. OC COLONY, MUTHAVAKUNTIA VILLAGE, KANAGANAPALLE MANDAL, ANANTAPUR DISTRICT ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER,ANNAVARAM POLICE STATION, KAKINADA, REP. BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT KODAVATI DEVI SRIJA, W/O LATE MACHINENI MAHESH AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O. SANKHAVARAM SANKHAVARAM MANDAL, KAKINADA DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): der Section 482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the the records in D.V.C. No.19/2025 on the file of the IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH [3504] THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM MACHINENI VENKATA LAKSHMI, W/O. LATE VENKATESULU, AGED 766, RAM NAGAR EXTENSION, AGED 60 89, MUTHAVAKUNTIA VILLAGE, AGED 58 YEARS, R/O. OC COLONY, MUTHAVAKUNTIA VILLAGE, ...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S) BY THE STATION HOUSE REP. BY THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT KODAVATI DEVI SRIJA, W/O LATE MACHINENI MAHESH AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/O. SANKHAVARAM KAKINADA DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S): Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the of Criminal Petition, the No.19/2025 on the file of the Hon’ble 2 MRK,J Crl.P.No.7695 of 2026 Judicial First Class Magistrate, Prathipadu, and quash the same in so far as the Petitioners/Respondents 1, 3 and 4 are concerned 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 in D.V.C.No.19/2025 on the file of the Hon’ble Judicial First Class Magistrate, Prathipadu, including appearance of Petitioners Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S): 1. SODUM ANVESHA Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S): 1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 3 MRK,J Crl.P.No.7695 of 2026 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/respondent Nos.1, 3 & 4 therein, seeking to quash the proceedings in D.V.C.No.19 of 2025 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Prathipadu. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. K.Sandeep, 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 herein 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. 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 4 MRK,J Crl.P.No.7695 of 2026 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. 7. In Vishal Shah Vs. Monalisha Gupta & Ors.2, Hon’ble Apex Court has observed that there is no requirement for the personal appearance of any party in the proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, because they are quasi-criminal in nature and do not entail any penal consequences, except when there is a breach of a protection order, which is the only offence provided under Section 31 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005. 12022 LiveLaw (SC) 594 22025 Live Law (SC) 240 5 MRK,J Crl.P.No.7695 of 2026 8. 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/respondent Nos.1, 3 & 4 before the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Prathipadu, in D.V.C.No.19 of 2025 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. 9. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is disposed of. 10. Needless to state that the petitioners are at liberty to raise all the grounds before the trial Court. As a sequel, Interlocutory Applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. ______________________________ MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM, J Dated: 03.09.2026 MDP