##PAGE1##

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD

THE HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA

CRIMINAL PETITION No.17729 of 2025

DATE OF ORDER:- 30.12.2025

Between:

Munna Roi, S/o.Pramod Roi

R/o.Bihar & 3 others.

… Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 to 4

AND

The State of Telangana rep. by its

Public Prosecutor, High Court of Telangana

Hyderabad & another.

…Respondents

ORDER

1. This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 528 of

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 seeking to

quash the proceedings against the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 4

in C.C.No.6594 of 2024, on the file of the learned VII Additiona

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Nampally, Hyderabad, registered

for the offences punishable under Section 420 of IPC and Section

7(1) of Essential Commodities Act.

2. Heard Sri Konda Srinivas, learned counsel for the

petitioners as well as Sri Jitender Rao Veeramalla, the learned

2

ETD,J

Crl.P.No.17729_2025

Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent No.1-

State.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that the

petitioners are innocent and that they are not the owners of the

premises from where the stocks were seized and they are no way

related to the PDS rice seized by the Police and that the

panchanama was forcibly obtained from the petitioners herein.

He therefore prayed to quash the proceedings against the

petitioners.

4. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor has submitted

that the panchanama reveals that PDS rice was purchased from

the fair price shops. Thus, the alleged offences clearly made out

prima facie case against the petitioners and hence prayed to

dismiss the petition.

5. Perused the record. The panchanama shows that the

petitioners have purchased the PDS rice from the fair price

shops. Since PDS rice is meant for distribution to the people

below poverty line, the purchase of the said rice from the fair

price shop is alleged to be an offence punishable under Section

420 of IPC and Section 7(1) of Essential Commodities Act. Hence

3

ETD,J

Crl.P.No.17729_2025

prima facie case is pointed out against the petitioners. Thus, it is

not a fit case to quash the proceedings against the petitioners

herein. However, it is deemed appropriate to dispose of the

Criminal Petition by dispensing with the appearance of the

petitioners before the Trial Court.

6. Hence, the Criminal Petition is disposed of dispensing with

the presence of the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 4 before the

Trial Court provided that the petitioners are represented through

an Advocate on every date of hearing and that they shall be

present before the Trial Court whenever their presence is

specifically required during the course of trial.

7. Miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed.

____________________________

JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA

Dt.30.12.2025

ysk

4

ETD,J

Crl.P.No.17729_2025

THE HON’BLE SMT.JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA

CRIMINAL PETITION No.17729 of 2025

Dt.30.12.2025

ysk