Sama Sridhar Reddy, v. The State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.TUKARAMJI CRIMINAL PETITION No. 8668 OF 2026 DATE: 18.06.2026 Between :

Sama Sridhar Reddy ... Petitioner/Accused No.1 AND The State of Telangana, Represented by the Public Prosecutor, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad. ... Respondent.

ORDER

This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, "BNSS"), seeking the relief of pre-arrest bail.

2.

The petitioner is arrayed as accused No. 1 in Crime No. 131 of 2026 of I.S. Sadan Police Station, Hyderabad, registered for the offence punishable under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, "BNS").

3.

Heard Mr. T.V. Ramana Rao, learned counsel, argued on behalf of Mr. Soma Ravi Kiran Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and

Mr. E. Ganesh, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, representing the respondent-State.

4.1.

Briefly stated, the prosecution case is that the de facto complainant, who is the wife of the deceased, lodged a report alleging that the petitioner had advanced a loan to the deceased for purchase of a flat and had thereafter been insisting upon repayment of the loan amount together with interest. It is alleged that, on account of the deceased's inability to discharge the interest liability, the petitioner subjected him to persistent demands and harassment. According to the complaint, about six months prior to the occurrence, petitioner No.1, along with certain other persons, allegedly visited the shop of the deceased, picked up a quarrel with him, abused him in filthy language and assaulted him.

4.2.

It is further alleged that on 19.05.2026, after having dinner, the deceased left for his shop and did not return home. At about 1.00 a.m., when the de facto complainant contacted him over phone, the deceased is stated to have informed her that he would return home in the morning. However, as he failed to return, their second daughter was sent to the shop, where she allegedly found the deceased hanging from a ceiling fan, having committed suicide. Basing on the said report, the present crime came to be registered for the offence punishable under Section 108 read with Section 3(5) of the BNS.

5.1.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the allegation attributing abetment of suicide to the petitioner is wholly unfounded and unsupported by any legally admissible material. He would contend that even according to the averments contained in the complaint, the allegations against the petitioner are confined to demands for repayment of the loan and interest thereon and to an incident which allegedly occurred nearly six months prior to the suicide, in respect of which a village panchayat is also stated to have intervened. He further submits that there is no allegation that the petitioner had any interaction with the deceased immediately preceding the occurrence or that the deceased had disclosed to the de facto complainant any threat, inducement, provocation or conduct attributable to the petitioner on the date of the incident. 5.2.

It is further pleaded that the complaint itself discloses that several other creditors had also been demanding repayment of amounts allegedly borrowed by the deceased. In the absence of any specific overt act, material indicating intentional instigation or active aid on the part of the petitioner, the essential ingredients constituting the offence of abetment of suicide are prima facie absent. Mere harassment, financial disputes or demands for repayment of money, without anything more, would ordinarily not satisfy the statutory requirements of abetment.

5.3.

Learned counsel submits that the petitioner has always been willing to cooperate with the investigation and undertakes to abide by any condition that may be imposed by this Court. Apprehending arrest by the police, he seeks the discretionary relief of anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the BNS.

6.

Per contra, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submits that the material collected during the course of investigation prima facie discloses that the petitioner had harassed the deceased by persistently demanding repayment of the loan amount. It is contended that the investigation is still at a initial stage and that grant of anticipatory bail at this juncture may adversely affect the collection of evidence and impede a fair investigation. He, therefore, prays for dismissal of the petition. 7.

I have considered the rival submissions and perused the material on record.

8.

The substance of the allegations against the petitioner is that he had been insisting upon repayment of the loan amount and interest and had allegedly subjected the deceased to harassment in that regard. The complaint also refers to an incident which is stated to have occurred about six months prior to the suicide. At this stage, while refraining from expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, it is evident that the allegations

essentially relate to financial transactions and prior disputes, the evidentiary value and legal implications whereof are matters to be examined during the course of investigation and, if necessary, at trial. Having regard to the nature and tenor of the allegations, the temporal gap between the alleged incident and the occurrence, the absence of any allegation of immediate provocation, and the willingness expressed by the petitioner to cooperate with the investigating agency, this Court is of the considered opinion that the request made by the petitioner for grant of pre-arrest bail deserves consideration, subject to such terms and conditions appropriate to safeguard the interests of the investigation.

9.

Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is allowed. The petitioner/Accused No.1 shall be enlarged on anticipatory bail in Crime No. 131 of 2026 of I.S. Sadan Police Station, Hyderabad, subject to the following conditions: (A) The petitioner shall surrender before the Station House Officer, I.S. Sadan Police Station, Hyderabad, on or before 04.07.2026. Upon such surrender or in the event of arrest, the Station House Officer shall release the petitioner on bail on execution of a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-Five Thousand only), with two sureties for a like sum each, to the satisfaction of the said Officer. (B) The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer on every Tuesday and Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for a

period of twelve (12) weeks from the date of his release on bail and shall cooperate with the investigation in all respects. (C) The petitioner shall remain available for interrogation as and when required during the course of investigation and shall extend full cooperation to the investigation.

(D) The petitioner shall furnish his complete residential address, mobile number and other contact particulars to the Investigating Officer and shall promptly intimate any change therein. (E) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly induce, threaten, influence, or promise any person acquainted with the facts of the case, nor shall he tamper with prosecution evidence in any manner whatsoever.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand closed. _______________ N.TUKARAMJI, J Date: 18.06.2026 svl