IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL WRIT PETITION No.14316 of 2024 Date: 25.03.2026 Between:

Mr.Surya Raj Singh.

..Petitioner And The State of Telangana, rep. by its Principal Secretary for Home Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad and 9 others ..Respondents

ORDER

This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief:-

“…to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring action of the Respondents No.2 to 10 in opening and continuing Rowdy Sheet against the Petitioner in Shabad Police Station, Cyberabad Commissionerate, Cyberabad as illegal, colorable exercise of power contrary to the settled principles of legal position and violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed to the Petitioner under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently to direct the Respondents No.2 to 10 to close the Rowdy Sheet against the Petitioner in Shabad Police Station, Cyberabad Commissionerate, Cyberabad …”

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home appearing for the respondents.

Perused the record.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner hails from respectable family and he is a law abiding citizen and he is eeking out his livelihood by running a cloth business in the name of “Sujatha Sarees”. Learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that in view of registration of the following cases against the petitioner, a rowdy sheet/surveillance sheet has been opened against him:

i) Crime No.87 of 2020 of Shahbad Police Station, Cyberabad Commissionerate for the offences punishable under Sections 8(c) read with Section 20(b)(ii)(c) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act for brevity). After investigation charge sheet has been filed vide SC NDPS No.86 of 2023 before learned I Additional District Judge and Sessions Judge, Ranga Reddy District at L.B.Nagar wherein the petitioner along with another has been acquitted vide order dated

04.10.2024.

ii) Crime No.13 of 2013 under Section 8(c) read with Section 20(b) of NDPS Act on the file of CCS, Hyderabad. After investigation, Charge sheet has been filed vide SC NDPS No.107 of 2021 and the same is pending before the learned Additional District Judge and Sessions Court at Nampally, Hyderabad.

iii) Crime No.247 of 2019 under Section 8(c) read with Section 20(b)(ii)(b) of NDPS Act on the file of Excise Police Station, Dhoolpet, Hyderabad and the investigation is under progress in the said crime.

3.1. The main grievance of the petitioner is that as on today, there are only two cases pending against the petitioner herein. However, without considering the said fact and also the procedure laid down under the A.P.Police Manual, the respondents have opened the above said rowdy sheet against the petitioner herein and they are continuing the same which is arbitrary, illegal and also contrary to the principles laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court and this Court in catena of decisions. Learned counsel would further submit that under the guise of opening and continuation of rowdy sheet, the respondents-police are calling the petitioner to the police station and harassing him by making him to wait in the police station for hours together. With the said submissions, learned counsel for the petitioner sought a direction to the respondents to close the above said rowdy sheet opened against the petitioner.

4. A counter affidavit is filed by respondent No.4 stating that, in view of the involvement of the petitioner in Crime Nos.87 of 2023, 13 of 2013 and 247 of 2019 for offences under NDPS Act, the Police, Shahbad Police Station, Cyberabad Commissionerate, has opened a rowdy sheet against him vide C.No.11/ACP-CVL/CYB/2023, dated 19.10.2023 and the same has been transferred to Shahinayathgunj Police Station, Hyderabad vide No.193/CCRB/HS/Cyb/2024 dated 23.04.2024 and further to Man