Ullengala Bhumanna v. The State Of Telangana
THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.12005 of 2025 ORAL ORDER:
This Criminal Petition is filed before this Court for grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioners, who arrayed as accused Nos.7, 11, 13 and 15 in connection with FIR dated 10.09.2025 in Crime No.498 of 2025 before Adilabad-II Town Police Station, Adilabad District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 335, 337, 338, 336(2), 340 and 257 read with 3(5) of BNS.
2.
The case of the prosecution is that on 10.09.2025, the de-facto complainant, who is Panchayath Secretary of Kothur village lodged a report with the Police stating that as there was no Gram Panchayath building, a Bala Vikas Bhavan at Kothur village was rented to operate as the Gram Panchayath office belonging to accused No.1. Accused Nos.1 and 2 forged his signatures on house valuation certificates, House Tax receipts by putting Gram panchayath stamps on said papers by taking money, same were provided sureties to offenders at Adilabad court, when the complainant discovered this fraud.
Immediately he approached Adilabad II Town police and verified certified copies and found that his forgery signatures on accused Nos.3 and 4's house valuation certificates and house tax receipts. On receipt of the said complaint, a case was registered against the petitioners, for the offences as alleged. Aggrieved thereby, this Criminal Petition is filed seeking anticipatory bail of the petitioners. 3.
Heard Sri S. Ravi Kiran Reddy, learned counsel for petitioners, and Sri Arun Kumar Doddla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, appearing for respondent - State. 4.
Learned counsel for petitioners submitted that the petitioners are innocent of the alleged forgery offences and that the specific allegations of forgery pertain to accused Nos.1 and 2, who are alleged to have forged the signature of the Panchayat Secretary and affixed Gram Panchayat stamps on certain documents. The petitioners, however, were merely sureties before the Court and had no knowledge or involvement in the alleged acts of forgery and that the petitioners have been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submitted that accused No.1 has already been released on bail. Therefore, he prayed the Court to allow the
criminal petition, granting the relief of anticipatory bail to the petitioners.
5.
On the other hand, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioners, contending that the allegations against the petitioners are grave in nature and that the investigation is still ongoing, as such he prayed the Court to dismiss the criminal petition.
6.
Having regard to the rival submissions of both the learned counsel and upon a perusal of the material available on record, it is noted that the petitioners, arrayed as accused Nos.7, 11, 13, and 15, are alleged to have stood as sureties based on documents purportedly forged by accused Nos.1 and
2. The primary allegations of forgery are directed against accused Nos. 1 and 2. Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the view that custodial interrogation of the petitioners is not warranted and finds it appropriate to grant anticipatory bail, subject to the following conditions:
i.
The petitioners shall surrender before the Station House Officer, Adilabad II Town Police Station, Adilabad District, within two weeks from today, and on such surrender, the said Station House Officer shall release them on bail, on petitioners executing a personal bond for Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only), 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, and co-operate with the Investigating Officer in investigating the case.
iii.
The petitioners shall appear before the concerned Investigating Officer on every Wednesday between 09:00 a.m, and 05:00 p.m., till the filing of the charge sheet and thereafter, as and when required.
7.
Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is allowed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.
_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 19.09.2025 SS
THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.12005 of 2025 Date: 19.09.2025 SS