Dupati Nagaraju v. The State Of Telangana,
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VAKITI RAMAKRISHNA REDDY CRIMINAL PETITION No.7236 OF 2026 DATE : 29.05.2026 Between:
Dupati Nagaraju
...Petitioner/Accused No.1
AND The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad and another.
...Respondents
O R D E R
This Criminal Petition is filed under Sections 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNSS') by the petitioner/Accused No.1 seeking to grant anticipatory bail to him in Crime No.48 of 2026, on the file of INSP ADMIN (DD) Police Station, Hyderabad, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 318(4), read with 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, (for short 'BNS Act), and Section 5 of the Telangana Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act, 1999 (for short 'the Act, 1999).
2.
Heard learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondentState and perused the material available on record. 3.
The allegations against the petitioner are that he along with accused No.2 induced the de facto complainant and his brother to invest in a pre-launch offer relating to construction of High Rise apartments by assuring them that their investment amount would be doubled within 36 months. Believing the same, they invested an amount of Rs.64,00,000/- on 04.08.2024, pursuant to which a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was executed on the same day allotting Flat Nos.C-411 and C-511, each measuring 1300 sq.ft., as security. Subsequently, the petitioner increased the proposed flat area to 1715 sq.ft. each and collected an additional amount of Rs.23,00,000/-. It is alleged that despite lapse of the stipulated period, the petitioner neither completed the construction nor returned the invested amount of Rs.
87,00,000/- along with the assured goodwill amount of Rs.1,74,00,000/- as agreed under the MOU. Upon verification, the complainant found that the land had been sold to third parties and when questioned, the petitioner and accused No.2 threatened through anti-social elements. Therefore, a case in Crime No.48 of 2026 was registered against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences.
4.
Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has nothing to do with the alleged offence; the case is civil in nature and that the facts of the case do not attract the ingredients of the offences alleged. It is also submitted that the petitioner aggrieved by police harassment has filed W.P.No.10310 of 2026 before this Court and the same was dismissed. He also filed Crl.P.No.4178 of 2026 seeking to quash the proceedings in the aforesaid Crime and this Court on 24.03.2026, issued notice and posted the matter to 08.07.2026. Therefore, learned counsel prays this Court to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner/accused No.1. 5.
On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner as the offences alleged against the petitioner are serious in nature and hence prayed to dismiss the Criminal Petition. 6.
A perusal of the record and the allegations made in the complaint reveals that Section 5 of Act, 1999 is not applicable and the allegations made in the complaint are purely civil in nature. Further, accused No.2, who stands on the same footing as that of the petitioner was also granted anticipatory bail in Crl.P.No.6673 of 2026, dated 14.05.2026. Having regard to the nature of the allegations and to maintain parity, this Court is inclined to grant
anticipatory bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions:- i.
The petitioner shall surrender before the Station House Officer, INSP ADMIN (DD) Police Station, Hyderabad, within two weeks from today, and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release them on bail on executing personal bond for Rs.25,000/-, with two sureties for the like sum each.
ii.
The petitioner shall appear before the concerned Investigating Officer on every Wednesday 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.
iii.
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.
7.
Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is allowed. Miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending shall stand closed. ___________________________________ VAKITI RAMAKRISHNA REDDY,J Date: 29.05.2026 gnp/EDS
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE VAKITI RAMAKRISHNA REDDY CRIMINAL PETITION No.7236 OF 2026 DATE : 29.05.2026 GNP/EDS/PRAT