The court grants bail based on the review of procedural violations and the health condition of the accused, emphasizing the need for due consideration of all circumstances surrounding bail applications.

ORDER :

K. SREENIVASA REDDY, J.

This Criminal Petition, under Sections 480 and 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘the BNSS ’) has been filed on behalf of the petitioner/accused No.2 to grant regular bail to the petitioner/accused No.2 in Crime No.56 of 2025 of Suryaraopet Police Station, Vijayawada city, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 409 , 420, 477A, 120B read with 34 of the INDIAN PENAL CODE , 1860 (for brevity ‘IPC’).

2. The detailed case facts that are emanated from out of the investigation conducted by the Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission, Vijayawada (hereinafter referred to, as ‘APPSC’) are as follows:

(a) The APPSC issued a Notification for filling up of 169 posts in various Group-I Services vide Notification No.27/2018, dated 31.12.2018 and the selection process comprises preliminary examination, main/written examination and oral test/interview. In total, 1,14,473 candidates applied pursuant to the said Notification and preliminary examination was conducted on 26.05.2019, and 59,200 candidates appeared for the preliminary examination. Results of the preliminary examination were announced on 01.11.2019, wherein 8,351 candidates were declared qualified for Mains examination. Later, pursuant to the Orders of this Court, dated 22.10.2020, the list was revised and results were declared on 29.10.2020, in which, 9,679 candidates were declared as qualified for Mains examination.

(b) The Mains examination was scheduled to be held from 14.12.2020 to 20.12.2020; that out of 9679 candidates, 6807 candidates appeared for Mains examination. On 28.10.2020, the Commission, due to Covid Pandemic effect, gave consent for Digital Evaluation of answer scripts (total 07 papers) and Camps were conducted from January, 2021 to April, 2021 and in total, 162 Subject Experts were involved in the said evaluation process, for which, a total sum of Rs.1,38,33,098/- was spent for Digital Evaluation through Cheque No.776644, dated 28.04.2021 drawn in favour of Stone Media Advisors; that the Digital Evaluation was declared on 28.04.2021.

(c) Aggrieved by the Digital Evaluation method, which was not mentioned in the Notification, some of the non-selected candidates filed Writ Petition No.11000 of 2021 and batch cases before this Court, and this Court, vide Order in I.A.No.1 of 2021 in Writ Petition No.11000 of 2021, dated 16.06.2021, granted interim stay on the results that was declared on 28.04.2021. This Court, vide Order, dated 01.10.2021, passed final orders in I.A.No.1 of 2021 in Writ Petition No.11000 of 2021 directing the Commission to evaluate the papers (07) manually and in conventional mode and to complete the exercise within three (03) months.

(d) The In-charge Chairman of APPSC, upon assuming charge, discussed the issue with the Members and decided to go for Manual Evaluation in consonance with the Orders of this Court, dated 01.10.2021 and accordingly, pre-evaluation preparatory work arrangements took place and answer scripts were shifted to Haailand Resorts for further evaluation process.

(e) That an evaluation camp was scheduled from 06.12.2021 at Haailand Resorts and the Superintendent of Police, Guntur was requested to provide a closed vehicle with police escort to transport the answer papers from the Commission’s office to the evaluation camp on 05.12.2021 vide Letter No.374/Confdl.C/2019, dated 03.12.2021. Total, 48,442 answer scripts were handed over to the Camp Officers without disturbing the bundles, which were already bundled at 50 scripts in each for digital evaluation; that the Bundle Control Slips (one for each bundle) are supplied for Manu