Laxmanna @ Ryambo, 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. 8657 OF 2026 DATE: 18.06.2026 Between :

Laxmanna @ Ryambo and two others.

... Petitioners/Accused Nos. 2 to 4 AND The State of Telangana, Represented by the Public Prosecutor, High Court 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 petitioners are arrayed as accused Nos. 2 to 4 in Crime No. 56 of 2026 of Ghanpur Town Police Station, Wanaparthy District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 103(1), 108 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, "BNS"). 3.

Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, representing the respondent-State.

4.

Briefly stated, the prosecution case is that, the brother-in-law of the deceased lodged the complaint stating that he had received information from one Makala Dariselli stating that his brother-in-law/deceased informed him that he had killed all his family members by drowning in a sump and he is also committing suicide and when the de facto complainant rushed to the place, he found his brother-in-law hanging in a tin shed and his sister and their both children in water sump and when the de facto complainant watched the WhatsApp status of his brother-in-law, he found a video, wherein he mentioned the names of the petitioners, with whom he indebted and they have allegedly subjected him to severe harassment for repayment of the debts. Basing on the complaint, the crime has been registered. 5.1.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners contended that, even if the allegations contained in the complaint and the material collected during the investigation are accepted in their entirety, the same do not prima facie disclose the commission of an offence of abetment of suicide. It is submitted that the gravamen of the accusation against the petitioners is merely that they had been insisting upon repayment of monies allegedly borrowed by the deceased. Such conduct, by itself, cannot constitute "abetment" within the meaning of Sections 45 and 108 of the BNS, unless there is material demonstrating intentional instigation, active aid leaving the deceased with no option except to commit suicide.

5.2.

Learned counsel further submitted that the investigating agency has also invoked Section 103(1) of the BNS, which pertains to the offence of murder, without there being any prima facie material to suggest that the petitioners had any participation, direct or indirect, in causing the homicidal deaths of the deceased's wife and minor children. It is argued that neither the complaint nor the material presently available attributes any active participation on the part of the petitioners in the occurrence resulting in the deaths of the family members of the deceased. It is, therefore, contended that the allegations are vague, omnibus and devoid of the essential ingredients necessary to attract the offences alleged. Learned counsel submits that the petitioners are law-abiding citizens, are prepared to cooperate fully with the investigation, and, apprehending their arrest, seek the protection of pre-arrest bail.

6.

Per contra, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submitted that the deceased, in a video purportedly recorded prior to the incident, allegedly referred to the names of the petitioners and accused them of subjecting him to harassment for repayment of debts advanced by them. It is further submitted that the averments contained in the complaint also disclose a prima facie case warranting a thorough investigation. According to the prosecution, the investigation is still at a nascent stage, and grant of anticipatory bail at this juncture may impede the prosecution case. On these premises, dismissal of the petition has been sought.

7.

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

8.

The allegations levelled against the petitioners, at this stage, indicate that they had allegedly advanced monies to the deceased and had been demanding repayment of the said debts. It is also alleged that they subjected the deceased to harassment in that regard. However, except for these broad allegations nothing disclosing acts of intentional instigation, active facilitation, or conduct having a direct and proximate nexus with the decision of the deceased to end his life.

9.

Having regard to the nature of the allegations presently available, the absence of specific overt acts attributable to the petitioners, their expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigating agency, and considering that their custodial interrogation does not appear indispensable at this stage, this Court is of the considered opinion that their liberty deserves protection pending investigation.

10.

Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is allowed. The petitioners/Accused Nos. 2 to 4 shall be enlarged on anticipatory bail, subject to the following conditions:

(A) The petitioners shall surrender before the Station House Officer, Ghanpur Town Police Station, Wanaparthy District, on or before 04.07.2026. Upon such surrender or in the event of arrest, the Station House Officer shall

release the petitioners on bail on execution of 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 said Officer. (B) The petitioners shall appear before the Investigating Officer on every Saturday between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. for a period of ten (10) weeks from the date of their release on bail and shall cooperate with the investigation in all respects.

(C) Further, the petitioners shall remain available as and when required during the course of investigation and shall extend full cooperation to the investigation.

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

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