Banoth Durga Prasad, v. The State Of Telangana,

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT

HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.15680 of 2025 DATE: 03.12.2025 Between:

Banoth Durga Prasad .... Petitioner/accused Officer AND The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Public Prosecutor, High Court at Hyderabad.

.... Respondent/Complainant ORDER:

This criminal petition is filed under Sections 480 & 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNSS') by the petitioner/Accused seeking enlargement on bail in connection with FIR.No.18/RCT-ACB-ADB/2025 of ACB, Adilabad Police Station, Mancherial District, registered for the

offences punishable under Sections 7 (a) and 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amended as Act of 16 in 2018).

2.

The case of the prosecution is that the complainant have assigned 1.39 acres of land situated in the outskirts of Lingapur village and it was assigned in the name of his wife and he decided to construct a cattle shed and came to know that such sheds are sanctioned under the MGNREGS Scheme by the Government and he approached the MPDO office and he was sanctioned an amount of Rs.48,000/- for the already completed portion of the work and the accused officer called him demanding a bribe of Rs.10,000/- and the complaint is filed before the ACB and after detail enquiry, the petitioner was caught red handed and a case was registered against him for the above said offences.

3.

Heard Sri S. M. Rizwan Akhtar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri T. Bala Mohan Reddy, learned Standing counsel for ACB Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent-State.

4.

The contention of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner herein is in jail from 27.09.2025 and the offences

are below seven (07) years, therefore, he is also entitled for the mandatory bail and the entire investigation was already completed and further, the custodial interrogation of the petitioner is not required in this case and prayed this Court to grant bail to the petitioner.

5.

On the other hand, learned Standing counsel submitted that the investigation is completed and 183 statement of the complainant is also recorded.

6.

In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and a perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the petitioner is in jail from 27.09.2025 and the entire investigation was already completed. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the incarceration period of the petitioner, this Court deems it fit to grant bail to the petitioner/accused, subject to the following conditions: i.

The petitioner/accused shall execute 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 learned Special Judge for Trial of SPE and ACB Cases, Karimnagar.

ii.

The petitioner/accused shall appear before the concerned SHO at 11:00 a.m., on every Monday for a period of eight (8) week or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier, for the purpose of investigation, and thereafter, as and when required.

iii.

The petitioner/accused shall abide by the conditions stipulated in Section 437(3) of Cr.P.C.(presently, Section 480(3) of the BNSS).

iv.

The petitioner/accused shall deposit his passport to the concerned trial Court.

7.

Accordingly, the Criminal petition is allowed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

_______________ K. SUJANA, J Date:03.12.2025 TU

THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.15680 of 2025 Date: 03.12.2025 TU