B Venumadhav v. The State Of Telangana

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V. VENUGOPAL CRIMINAL PETITION No. 7493 of 2026 DATE: 14.05.2026 BETWEEN:

B. Venumadhav .....petitioner/accused No.2 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.2 in Crime No.108 of 2026 before the Nawabpet

Police Station, Mahabubabad District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 333, 331(6), 74, 79, 118(1) read with 49 of BNS.

2.

The brief facts of the case are that on 30.04.2026, based on the complaint lodged by the de-facto complainant, a case in Crime No.108 of 2026 was registered by Nawabpet Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 333, 331(6), 74, 79 and 118(1) r/w 49 of BNS. It is alleged that on the night of 29.04.2026, the accused persons formed into an unlawful assembly, criminally trespassed into the house of the complainant at Tangadipally village, assaulted the complainant and his family members with sticks and stones, damaged the doors and windows of the house, abused them in filthy language, outraged the modesty of the womenfolk, and threatened to burn the house. During investigation, some of the accused were apprehended and remanded to judicial custody, and the present petitioner was arrayed as Accused No.2.

3.

Heard Sri K. Satish Chakravarthy, 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 petitioner is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present crime without any basis and that there are no specific overt acts attributed against the petitioner and no material is available to attract the offences alleged against him. He further submitted that the dispute arose on account of alleged religious conversion activities in the village and that the present complaint was lodged only to harass the petitioner and other villagers. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner by allowing this Criminal Petition.

5.

Learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the petition contending that the allegations against the petitioner are serious in nature and disclose his participation in the unlawful assembly which trespassed into the house of the complainant and assaulted the inmates and that the investigation is still pending and custodial interrogation of the petitioner may be required for effective investigation into the

incident. Therefore, at this stage, granting of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner does not arise. Hence, 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 prima facie appears that the name of the petitioner is not reflected either in the FIR or in the statements recorded under Section 161 Cr.P.C. Further, except a general allegation of involvement, no specific overt acts have been attributed against the petitioner and no material has been placed before this Court indicating his direct participation in the alleged incident. The investigation, insofar as the present petitioner is concerned, does not presently disclose any prima facie material necessitating custodial interrogation. Having regard to the limited role attributed to the petitioner, and in the absence of any material indicating his active involvement in the alleged offences, this Court deems it fit to grant prearrest bail to the petitioner, subject to the following conditions:

i.

The petitioner shall surrender before the Station House Officer, Nawabpet

Police Station, Mahabubabad District, within two weeks from today, and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release him on bail on executing a personal bond for Rs.10,000/-, each 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.

iv.

The petitioner shall surrender his passport, if any, before the concerned Court.

v.

The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly contact, threaten, induce, or influence the de facto complainant or any of the prosecution witnesses.

vi.

In the event of violation of any of the above conditions, the prosecution

shall be at liberty to seek cancellation of bail in accordance with law.

7.

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

____________________ E.V. VENUGOPAL, J Date: 14.05.2026 SAI

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E. V. VENUGOPAL CRIMINAL PETITION No.7493 of 2026 Date: 14.05.2026 SAI