IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J.SREENIVAS RAO CRIMINAL PETITION No.1097 of 2026 Date: 02.02.2026 Between:

Veluri Chaitanya and two others ...Petitioners AND The State of Telangana, Represented by Public Prosecutor, High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad and another ...Respondents

ORDER

This Criminal Petition has been filed seeking to quash the proceedings in FIR No.43 of 2026 of Uppal Police Station, Rachakonda, wherein the petitioners were arrayed as accused Nos.1 to 3 for the offences punishable under Sections 223, 274 and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023 (for short ‘BNS’) and Sections 4 and 20(2) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (for short ‘COTP Act’).

2. Heard Mr.Habeeb Abubakar Alhamed, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr.M.Ramachandra Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for respondent No.1.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the issue raised in this criminal petition is squarely covered by the order passed by this Court in Crl.P.No.152 of 2020 and batch, dated

05.07.2021.

4. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor has not opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for petitioners.

5. Taking into consideration the submissions made by the respective parties and the order passed by this Court in Crl.P.No.152 of 2020 and batch, dated 05.07.2021, this criminal petition is allowed. The proceedings against the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 3 in FIR No.43 of 2026 of Uppal Police Station, Rachakonda, are hereby quashed. Further the Station House Officer/Investigating Officer is hereby directed to return the seized property on proper identification and verification under due acknowledgment.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand closed.

____________________________ JUSTICE J. SREENIVAS RAO

02.02.2026 Note :

The Registry is directed to enclose a copy of the order in Crl.P.No.152 of 2020 and batch, dated 05.07.2021, to this order.

b/o vsl