ORDER:

This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) for grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner, who is arrayed as accused No.4 in Crime No.296 of 2022 of Khammam (R) Police Station, Khammam District, registered for the offences punishable under Section 498-A of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the DPA.

2. Heard Sri P. Ravi Kiran, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner as well as Sri Arun Kumar Doddla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent - State.

3. Without going into the merits of the case, since the punishment prescribed for the offences alleged against the petitioner are less than seven (07) years, this Court deems it appropriate to direct the petitioner to appear before the Investigating Officer on or before 06.11.2025 between 11:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m. and in turn, the Investigating Officer is directed to follow the procedure laid down under Section 35 (3) of BNSS (previously Section 41-A of Cr.P.C.) and also the guidelines formulated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar, (2014) 8 SCC 273 scrupulously. However, the petitioner shall