Punyamurthy Raju, 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.4633 OF 2026 DATE : 13.04.2026 Between:

Punyamurthy Raju ....Petitioner/A.2 AND The State of Telangana, Rep by its Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana, Through S.H.O, P.S.Yacharam, Ranga Reddy District ..... Respondent/ complainant : ORDER :

This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking the Court to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner in the event of his arrest in connection with Cr.No.82 of 2026 of Yacharam Police Station, Ranga Reddy District. The offences alleged against the petitioner are under Sections 108 r/w.3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNS') and under Section 3(2)(Va) of

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short 'SC/ST Act'). 2.

The brief facts of the case are that the complainant lodged a complaint stating that her daughter, Akhila, aged about 23 years, had completed D.Ed., and on 24.03.2026 at about 09.00 hours she left her uncle's home and went towards her own house, but she did not return. When family members went to the house after she failed to respond to calls, they found the door locked from inside and upon breaking it open, found Akhila hanging from the ceiling fan with a saree and she was found dead. A paper containing phone numbers was recovered near the deceased, and upon inquiry it was revealed that Akhila was in a love relationship with one Belli Shankar, who had recently got engaged to another woman. The complainant also found voice recordings showing that when Akhila sought advice from the petitioner for stopping Shankar's marriage, he allegedly advised her to go to the house of Shankar and consume pesticide. Hence, the complainant sought action against the accused.

3.

Heard Sri Veera Babu Gandu, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri M.Ramachandra Reddy, learned

Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent - State.

4.

The contention of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the allegations against the petitioner are false, concocted and fabricated to implicate the petitioner to harass him. The offences alleged against the petitioner do not attract to him and that the police have not issued Section 41-A Cr.P.C, notice to the petitioner. He further contended that petitioner undertakes to abide by any conditions that may be imposed by this Court and prayed this Court to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

5.

On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed bail contending that due to the provocation of the petitioner to consume pesticide, the deceased committed suicide. Hence, the offence committed by the petitioner is serious in nature, as such, he is not entitled to bail and prayed to dismiss this petition.

6.

Upon considering the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, it is alleged that the petitioner abetted the victim to

commit suicide. However, the specific contention of the petitioner is that when the victim contacted him, he merely advised her to go to the house of A.1 carrying pesticide so that A.1 would be frightened and agree to marry her, and that such advice was given only with an intention to help the victim. Having regard to the nature of allegations and the material placed on record, this Court is of the view that there is no material to indicate existence of mens rea on the part of the petitioner to intentionally abet the victim to commit suicide. Hence, this Court deems it fit to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions : i.

The petitioner shall surrender before the Station House Officer, Yacharam Police Station, Ranga Reddy District within two weeks from today, and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release the petitioner on bail on his executing a personal bond for Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) with two sureties, for the like sum each.

ii.

The petitioner shall appear before the concerned SHO between 09.00 a.m and 05.00 p.m., on every Monday for a period of eight (8) weeks, for the purpose of investigation or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier and thereafter, as and when required.

iii.

The petitioner shall abide by the other conditions stipulated in Section 482(2) of

BNSS and co-operate with the Investigating Officer in investigating the case.

7.

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

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 13.04.2026 Rds

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.4633 OF 2026 DATE : 13.04.2026 Rds