THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA CRIMINAL PETITION No.9964 of 2025

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 are arrayed as accused Nos.3 and 20 in Crime No.39 of 2017 of Bellampalli Town Police Station, Ramagundam District.

2. The brief facts of the case are that on 03.03.2017, the complainant MD. Jilani, aged 25 years, lodged a complaint at Bellampalli Police Station stating that about two years earlier, AEGIS Parivar Co-Operative Society had opened a branch at Bellampalli Rama Talkies and deputed its directors and agents to collect deposits from the public. The complainant and about 60 other depositors had invested approximately Rs.15,00,000/-. On 13.03.2016, the complainant approached the branch to claim his closing amount of Rs.38,649/-, but the officials promised payment within two months. After the period lapsed, the complainant was neither paid nor given a proper response and was instead threatened. The complainant alleged that the directors had colluded and conspired to cheat the depositors, and their agents collected the amounts without returning any money, thereby causing a loss of about Rs. 15,00,000/-.

3. Heard Sri M. Nagendra Babu, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners as well as Sri Syed Yasar Mamoon, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent – State.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners were arrayed as accused No.3 and No.20 in the subject crime, registered based on a complaint regarding alleged losses in the AEGIS Parivar Co-operative Society. He further submitted that petitioner No.1 had been temporarily assigned regional responsibilities but had no official designation as Regional Manager, and there was no material evidence or specific allegation against him and that petitioner No.2 was not an employee; only his wife was an agent, and he had no involvement in the alleged wrongdoing. The remand report confirmed that both petitioners had no documentary evidence against them and, in fact, some employees and agents were also victims of the society. Other accused, such as G. Suri Babu and Kota Chandrasekhar Rao, had already been granted regular bail. The petitioners were willing to cooperate fully with the investigation. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioners by allowing this criminal petition.

5. On the other hand, learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioners stating that the allegations leveled against the petitioners are serious in nature. Further, the investigation was not yet completed and at this stage, granting of pre-arrest bail to the petitioners does not arise. Therefore, he prayed the Court to dismiss the criminal petition.

6. In light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and upon a perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the petitioners are arrayed as accused Nos.3 and 20. The allegations against the petitioners are that they induced the victims to deposit amounts in the accused society. The petitioner/accused No.3 is the area manager for the Miryalaguda area, and the petitioner/accused No.20 is not an employee of the said society; however, his wife is an employee, and he also allegedly induced the victims to join the society. As seen from the record, there are prima facie allegations against the petitioners. Therefore, this Court is not inclined to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioners, and the petition is liable to be dismissed.

7. Accordingly, this criminal petition is dismissed.

Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

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K. SUJANA, J Date: 22.08.2025 SAI