: ORDER :

This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking the Court to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner in the event of his arrest in connection with Crime No.13 of 2024 of CID Police Station, TG Hyderabad (Now with CID Regional Office, Karimnagar). The offences alleged against the petitioner are under Sections 420, 120-B of Indian Penal Code and under Section 5 of the Telangana Protection of Depositors and Financial Establishment Act, 1999 (for short ‘TSPDFEA Act’) and under Section 5 of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act 1978.

2. The facts of the case are that on 28.10.2024 at about 17:00 hours, the complainant, Sri Arra Manoj Kumar, lodged a complaint stating that in the year 2022, accused No.1, Kurrimilla Ramesh Goud, was introduced to him by one Y.S. Ravi Kumar Reddy. A-1 represented that he was running a high-profit investment project and, by making repeated phone calls and assurances, induced the complainant and others to invest in the same. Believing such representations, the complainant, along with Ravi Kumar Reddy and others, met A-1 at ITC Hotel, Chennai, where A-1 proposed launching a cryptocurrency named “GBR Coin,” allegedly intended for use in real estate transactions. He explained various investment packages and later invited them to Marry Gold Hotel, Ameerpet, Hyderabad, where he promised assured returns and multi-level income benefits. To gain their confidence, A-1 created a website named “GBR Globals.io.” Acting upon such inducement, the complainant invested Rs.4 lakhs on 09.04.2022, while another investor, Ellanthakunta Anjaneyulu, invested Rs.8 lakhs through bank transfer, and several others also invested substantial amounts by transferring funds through NEFT, RTGS, and UPI to accounts belonging to A-1, his wife (A-2), and their associated entities. It is further stated that from April 2022 onwards, the complainant and about 43 other investors deposited amounts ranging between Rs.20 lakhs and Rs.25 lakhs each, while another group led by Srinivas also invested significant amounts, and in total, the investments amounted to approximately Rs.95 crores. However, only about Rs.30 to Rs.35 crores were returned. Subsequently, the website was shut down, and A-1 failed to repay the remaining amounts, claiming that the website had been hacked. Upon enquiry, it was revealed that the said website was fake and had been created by the accused persons to cheat the complainant and other investors. Based on the said complaint, the police registered a case against the accused for the above offences.

3. Heard Sri M.P.Kashyap, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri M.Ramachandra Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent – State.

4. The contention of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner was not arrayed as an accused in FIR No.13 of 2024 and his name surfaced only on the basis of the alleged confession of A-1 during custodial interrogation, which has no evidentiary value and is false and baseless. It is contended that the police, relying solely on such statement, have been harassing the petitioner and attempting to implicate him, which constrained him to file W.P. No.4075 of 2025, wherein this Court granted interim protection directing the authorities not to interfere with his personal liberty except in accordance with due process of law. It is further submitted that despite the same, the petitioner has been shown as Accused No.8 in the remand case diary and there is an apprehension of arrest. The learned counsel further submits that the petitioner has no role in the alleged offence, has not assisted in creation of any website, has no technical knowledge, has no connection with other accused or any financial transactions with the victims, and has not derived any benefit from the alleged scheme. It is also contended that even otherwise, involvement in