Bhikshapathi Kunta, v. The State Of Telangana
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE T.MADHAVI DEVI CRIMINAL PETITION No.7063 OF 2026 DATE: 14.05.2026 Between:
Mr. Bikshapathi Kunta and others .. Petitioners/Accused And The State of Telangana, Rep by its Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad.
..Respondent/Complainant ORDER:
The petitioners/accused filed the present application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS), seeking to grant pre-arrest bail to them in Crime No.01 of 2026 of CID Police Station, Hyderabad, which was registered for the offence punishable under Sections 316(2),(4),(5), 318(4), 306, 61, 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), Sections 66-D and 72 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 8 and 10 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
2.
Heard Mr. Kadaru Prabhakar Rao, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. M.Vivekananda Reddy, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent-State. 3.
The brief facts of the case are that de facto complainant lodged report stating that question paper of 1st semester of Pathalogy was leaked and some of the staff members were involved in paper leakage and constituted an enquiry committee on that issue.
4.
Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that petitioners are working as Agriculture Extension Officers in Professor Jayashankar University in various campuses across the State of Telangana, on the suspicion of leakage of question papers FIR has been registered. It is submitted that one Mrs. Banothu Urmila and others approached this Court and filed Crl.P.No.1084 of 2026, which was disposed of by this Court by observing that investigation is not yet completed and petitioners therein were not arrayed as accused. It is stated that after disposal of such petition, petitioners herein were issued notice under Section 35(3) of BNSS and petitioner No.4 was called to the Police Station for
investigation. As the petitioners apprehend arrest within this time, they approached this Court seeking anticipatory bail. 5.
On the other hand, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor stated that investigation is still under progress and opposed the grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioners stating that specific allegations are levelled against them.
6.
On perusal of FIR, it is noticed that initially petitioners are not arrayed as accused. However, during the course of investigation, notice under Section 35(3) of BNSS have been issued to the petitioners stating that a case in Crime No.01 of 2026 is registered against them and directed to appear before Investigating Officer. As notice under Section 35(3) of BNSS was already issued to the petitioners, this Court deems it fit to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners/accused. 7.
Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is allowed and the petitioners/accused shall be released on anticipatory bail on the following terms and conditions:
i.
The petitioners shall surrender before the Station House Officer, CID Police Station, RO, Warangal, within two (2) weeks from today and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release them on bail on their executing a personal bond for Rs.25,000/- with two sureties, for the like sum each.
ii.
The petitioners 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 petitioners 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.
As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed.
__________________________ JUSTICE T.MADHAVI DEVI May 14, 2026 MS/RRK