Kathravath Hanumanthu v. The State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION Nos.624 & 628 of 2026 DATE: 03.02.2026 Crl.P.No.624 of 2026 BETWEEN:

Kathravath Hanumanthu .....petitioner/accused No.2 And The State of Telangana, Rep. by Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana, at Hyderabad.

.....Respondent/complainant Crl.P.No.628 of 2026 BETWEEN:

Rathlavath Shankar .....petitioner/accused No.1 And The State of Telangana, Rep. by Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana,

at Hyderabad.

.....Respondent/complainant COMMON ORDER These Criminal Petitions are filed praying this Court to enlarge the petitioners on bail who are arrayed as accused Nos.1 and 2 in Crime No.185 of 2025 before the Bijinapally Police Station, Nagarkurnool District, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 194 of BNSS.

2.

The brief facts of the case are that the case arose out of a complaint lodged by the de facto complainant on 07.08.2025, stating that her husband, Eslavath Lachya, went for grazing cattle and was later found dead with burn injuries in the forest area adjacent to their agricultural field. It was suspected that the deceased might have accidentally come into contact with live electric wires illegally installed in nearby fields for crop protection. Basing on the said complaint, Bijinapally Police registered Crime No.185 of 2025 under Section 194 BNS and took up investigation.

3.

Heard Sri Hanumanth Rao Prnandi, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners as well as Sri D. Arun

Kumar, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent - State.

4.

Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the FIR did not name any accused and was based purely on suspicion, without any specific allegation linking the petitioners to the alleged offence. He further submitted that there was no prima facie material to attract the alleged offences, as the essential ingredients of culpable homicide, disappearance of evidence, or common intention were not made out. He further submitted that the petitioners had cooperated with the investigation for several months, had clean antecedents, were arrested after unexplained delay, and that the incident, even if accepted, amounted at best to an accidental death without mens rea, warranting grant of bail. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant bail to the petitioners by allowing these Criminal Petitions.

5.

On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioners stating that the there are serious allegations against the petitioners. Further, the investigation was not yet completed. At this stage, granting of bail to the petitioners

does not arise. Therefore, he prayed the Court to dismiss these criminal petitions.

6.

In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and a perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the petitioners are in jail since 31.12.2025. As seen from the record, the material part of the investigation has been completed and L.Ws.1 to 13 witnesses have been examined.

Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the incarceration period of the petitioners, this Court deems it fit to grant bail to the petitioner, subject to the following conditions: i.

The petitioners shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) each, with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the II Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Nagarkurnool.

ii.

The petitioners shall appear before the concerned SHO at 11:00 a.m., on

every Monday for a period of eight (8) week or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier, for the purpose of investigation, and thereafter, as and when required.

iii.

The petitioners shall abide by the conditions stipulated in Section 437(3) of Cr.P.C.(presently, Section 480(3) of the BNSS).

7.

Accordingly, these Criminal petitions are allowed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 03.02.2026 SAI

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION Nos.624 & 628 of 2026 Date: 03.02.2026 SAI