JUDGMENT

1. These Criminal Petitions are filed to quash the proceedings in C.C. No.770 of 2014 on the file of the IV Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Visakhapatnam, registered for the offences punishable under Ss. 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short, "IPC'). The petitioner in Criminal Petition No.3870 of 2015 is arrayed as A.1, and the petitioner in Criminal Petition No.5093 of 2015 is arrayed as A.4, in the said Calendar Case.

2. A private complaint has been filed by 2nd respondent/ complainant against the petitioners herein and others before the learned Magistrate. The allegations, in brief, in the said private complaint may be stated as follows:

(a) 2nd respondent/complainant is a reputed politician in Andhra Pradesh and he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly several times from Narsipatnam constituency in Visakhapatnam district. He is also a Member of Lok Sabha once from Anakapalli constituency in Visakhapatnam district. YSR Congress Party leaders requested him to join in their party, but he refused the same, and ever since, all the accused bore grudge against him and published false news in Sakshi news paper several times.

(b) Petitio