Kolluri Srikanth v. The State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.1771 of 2026 DATE: 20.02.2026 BETWEEN:

Kolluri Srikanth .....petitioner/accused No.5 And The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad.

.....Respondent/complainant

ORDER

This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNSS') for grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner, who is arrayed as accused No.5 in Crime No.55 of 2025 before the EOW,

Cyberabad Police Station, Cyberabad, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 447, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of IPC.

2.

The brief facts of the case are that a CD file was received on 28.08.2025 from Narsingi Police Station in Crime No.605 of 2021 relating to offences under Sections 447, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B IPC, which was re-registered as Crime No.55 of 2025 on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad. The case was based on a complaint lodged by Sri M. Rakesh Babu, who claimed ownership over Ac.0.30 guntas in Survey No.477 of Manchirevula Village through a chain of registered sale deeds originating from late Hyder Ali Mirza. He alleged that Kolluru Rambabu, Kolluri Ashok and others, including the petitioner, had conspired to grab the land by fabricating a false sale deed dated 10.10.1955 in favour of late Kolluri Anjaiah, creating forged patta passbooks and revenue records, and attempting to trespass upon the property. It was further alleged that duplicate and backdated documents were planted in government records in collusion with officials, though the alleged 1955 sale deed was not produced in

original and the revenue records continued to reflect the name of Hyder Ali Mirza.

3.

Heard Sri Katikar Ravinder Reddy, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner as well as Sri M. Ramachandra Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent - State. 4.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the allegations were vague, omnibus and devoid of specific overt acts attributable to the petitioner, and that the dispute was purely civil in nature, as evidenced by earlier writ petitions and pending civil appeals concerning the same land. He further submitted that the essential ingredients of the offences under Sections 447, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B IPC were not made out, as there was no material to show forgery, trespass, cheating, or conspiracy by the petitioner. He contended that the documents relied upon were certified government records and that the re-registration of the FIR after several years amounted to abuse of process. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner by allowing this Criminal Petition.

5.

On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor filed counter affidavit denying the averments of the learned counsel for the petitioner stating had the investigation revealed serious allegations of fabrication of old title documents, creation of forged patta passbooks and manipulation of revenue records in respect of valuable land. He further submitted that the petitioner was one of the beneficiaries of the forged documents and had actively participated in the conspiracy to grab the property. He contended that the investigation was still in progress, custodial interrogation of the petitioner was necessary. Therefore, he prayed the Court to dismiss the Criminal Petition.

6.

In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and upon perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the main allegation against the petitioner arose out of a long-standing dispute relating to land in Survey No.477 of Manchirevula Village, which had already been the subject matter of Crime No.605 of 2021 of Narsingi Police Station and was subsequently re-registered as Crime No.55 of 2025 on the file of EOW, Cyberabad. It was also

brought to the notice of this Court that the very same property was involved in W.P. Nos.3936, 3953, 4356 and 4359 of 2018, wherein by order dated 04.06.2019 the High Court had observed that the dispute was civil in nature, and that A.S. No.20 of 2003 and A.S. No.610 of 1997 were pending in respect of title and possession. Further, the petitioner had filed Cri.P.No.1057 of 2026 and obtained interim stay of further proceedings in FIR No.55 of 2025 on 02.02.2026. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the pendency of civil and writ proceedings, and the absence of specific overt acts attributed to the petitioner, this Court deems it fit to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions:

i.

The petitioner shall surrender before the Station House Officer, EOW, Cyberabad Police Station Station, Cyberabad, within two weeks from today, and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release them on bail on executing a personal bond for Rs.25,000/-, with two sureties, for the like sum each.

ii.

The petitioner shall abide by the other conditions stipulated in Section 482(2) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and co-operate with the Investigating Officer in investigating the case.

iii.

The petitioner shall appear before the concerned Investigating Officer on every Monday between 09:00 a.m, and 05:00 p.m., for a period of eight (8) weeks or till the filing of the charge sheet, whichever is earlier and thereafter, as and when required.

7.

Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is allowed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 20.02.2025 pld

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.1771 of 2026 Date: 20.02.2026 pld