THE HON’BLE SMT.JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA

ORDER:

This Criminal Petition is filed by the petitioner-Accused No.4 seeking to quash the proceedings in Crime No.65 of 2025 on the file of INSP ADMIN (DD), Hyderabad, registered for the offences under Sections 316(5), 318(4) read with 61(2)

of BNS.

2. Heard Dr.M. Madhavi Latha @ Saarah Sandilya, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Jithender Rao Veeramalla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondent No.1-State.

3. Learned Counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is a Gold Appraiser in State Bank of India, Ramnagar Branch, Hyderabad and he is no way connected with the sanction of loans and thus the allegation that the loans were sanctioned to fictitious persons, does not get accused No.1 is the Branch Manager and if at all any allegations arise with regard to sanctioning of fake loans, it should be against accused No.1 and that the petitioner, who is accused No.4, cannot be roped into the said allegations. That no property is entrusted to him, so that he can misappropriate the same and thus, the allegation of misappropriation does not get attracted against the petitioner. Further that the ingredients of cheating i.e. Section 420 IPC also does not get attracted as he did not have any dishonest intention in discharging his duties as gold appraiser. She, therefore, prayed to quash the proceedings against the petitioner.

4. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor has submitted that the petitioner being into a responsible job of appraising the gold, he has given appraisal certificate for spurious gold to be genuine. He further submitted that the petitioner along with the other employees in the bank got the loan sanctioned in favour of the family members and relatives of accused No.1 and that the second gold appraiser, working in the bank, has found the gold to be spurious and hence, the ingredients do progress and therefore, he prayed to dismiss the petition.

5. Perused the record.

6. The allegations in the complaint point out prima facie case against the petitioner under Sections 316(5), 318(4) read with 61(2) of BNS. The petitioner herein is accused No.4 and he worked as a gold appraiser in the State Bank of India. It is alleged that he has certified the spurious gold to be genuine and facilitated sanction of loans in favour of fictitious persons. The contents of the complaint further point out that the amount diverted is to an extent of Rs.2,27,83,161/-. The allegations are serious in nature. The petitioner, who is entrusted with the responsibility of certifying the gold, is alleged to have acted with dishonest intention and hence, it is not a fit case to quash the proceedings and the petition is liable to be dismissed. 7. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed.

Miscellaneous Petitions, if any pending, shall stand closed.

____________________________ JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA November 03, 2025 KTL