Badugu Venkatesh v. State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.6445 OF 2026 DATE: 05.05.2026 Between :

Badugu Venkatesh and another ..... Petitioners/Accused Nos.4 and 8 And The State of Telangana, Rep. by Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana, at Hyderabad.

..... Respondent/ Complainant

ORDER

This Criminal Petition is filed praying this Court to enlarge the petitioners on bail who are arrayed as accused Nos.4 and 8 in Crime No.188 of 2025 before the Miryalaguda II Police Station, Nalgonda District, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 406, 420, 120-B of IPC and section 5 of TSPDFEA. 2.

The brief facts of the case are that the case was registered on 19.07.2025 based on a complaint alleging that the accused

persons induced the complainant to invest money in a company namely Janani Repo Projects Private Limited by promising high returns and allotment of plots. Believing their representations, the complainant paid a total amount of Rs.24,00,000/-. However, neither the promised returns nor the land was provided, and a cheque issued towards repayment was dishonoured due to insufficient funds. It was further alleged that the accused had previously indulged in similar fraudulent activities through another company and formed a scheme to cheat innocent investors. Accordingly, a case was registered for the above said offences. 3.

Heard Sri J. Sai Vamshi, 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 petitioners submitted that the petitioners were falsely implicated and played only a limited and subordinate role in the company and that they were merely employees working under the main accused and had no decisionmaking authority or control over the alleged transactions. He contended that the investigation was substantially completed, material evidence had already been collected, and nothing further remained to be recovered from the petitioners. Therefore, he

prayed the Court to grant bail to the petitioners by allowing this Criminal Petition.

5.

On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the petition contending that the accused persons had acted in concert to cheat the complainant and others by floating fraudulent companies and collecting huge amounts under false promises and that the offences involved cheating of innocent investors on a large scale and constituted a serious economic offence. 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 the criminal petition. 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 petitioners are accused Nos.4 and 8 and that the petitioners have been in judicial custody since 27.02.2026. As per the remand case diary, the prosecution has already examined LWs.1 to 11, indicating substantial progress in the investigation. Taking into consideration the overall facts and circumstances of the case, the progress of investigation, and the period of incarceration, this Court is inclined to grant regular bail to the petitioners, 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 learned Principal Judicial First Class Magistrate, Miryalguda, Nalgonda.

ii.

The petitioners shall appear before the concerned SHO between 09.00 a.m and 5.00 p.m., on every Wednesday for a period of eight

(8) weeks 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 483(2) of the BNSS.

7.

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

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 05.05.2026 ss

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.6445 OF 2026 Date: 05.05.2026 ss