THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NARSING RAO NANDIKONDA CRIMINAL PETITION Nos.6560 OF 2025

ORDER:

This Criminal Petition is filed under Sections 480 and

483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, ‘BNSS’) by the petitioner-Accused Officer No.2, seeking bail in Crime No.03/RCT-ACB-RRR/2025 of Anti- Corruption Bureau, Ranga Reddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri District, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 7(a) and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, (as amended in 2018), (for short, ‘the Act’).

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Standing Counsel for the respondent/Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB). Perused the material available on record.

3. The brief facts of the case are that this is a case of demand and acceptance of illegal gratification other than legal remuneration by AO-1 through the petitioner/AO-2 and AO-3. All the three Accused Officers were working in the office of Nagaram Municipality, prior to this case. On

21.04.2025 at 16:45 hours, AO-1 and AO-2 were caught red-handed when they have demanded and accepted the bribe amount of Rs.1,00,000/- from the complainant through AO-3, for doing an official work. AO-1 to AO-3 were arrested on 21.04.2025 and was produced before the I Additional Special Judge for SPE & ACB Cases, Hyderabad, and sent for judicial remand.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is an outsourcing employee and he has never involved in the alleged commission of offence. He further submits that the complainant has lodged a false complaint before the ACB authorities only to trouble the innocent petitioner in a false criminal case and the petitioner is in judicial custody since more than thirty days and that the petitioner is entitled for bail.

5. Learned Standing Counsel for the ACB opposed for grant of bail to the petitioner stating that there are specific allegations levelled against the petitioner for demanding and receiving the bribe amount.

6. Having considered the rival submissions made by the respective parties and after perusal of the material available on record, as there are specific allegations levelled against the petitioner in the remand report that the audio-video record dated 11.04.2025 revealed and confirmed that the AO-1 demanded an amount of Rs.1,30,000/- in the presence of the petitioner/AO-2 and instructed the complainant to hand over the bribe amount to the petitioner/AO-2. The audio-video record dated 21.04.2025, revealed that the petitioner/AO-2 accepted the demanded bribe amount of Rs.1,00,000/- through AO-3. After hearing and watching the aforesaid audios-videos, the AO-1 to 3 became mum and started sweating. Later they admitted their guilt and as there is active participation of the petitioner in the commission of alleged offence, this Court is not inclined to grant bail.

7. Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is dismissed.

Miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed.

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JUSTICE NARSING RAO NANDIKONDA

Date: 21.05.2025

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THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NARSING RAO NANDIKONDA CRIMINAL PETITION Nos.6560 OF 2025 Dt: 21.05.2025 Myk/spk