ORDER

This Criminal Petition is filed praying this Court to enlarge the petitioner on bail who is arrayed as accused No.2 in Crime No.45 of 2026 before the Kusumanchi Police Station, Khammam District, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 103, 61, 238 read with 3(5) of BNS, 2023.

2. The brief facts of the case are that the deceased, Golla Srinivasulu @ Boggula Srinivas, had financial disputes with A1 regarding misuse of his GST registration and sharing of profits. It is alleged that A1, with the help of A2/petitioner and other accused, conspired to eliminate the deceased. On the night of 13/14.02.2026, the deceased was allegedly taken in a vehicle on the pretext of clearing dues, murdered with knives and iron rods near Nakirekal–Jangaon road, and thereafter the body along with the vehicle was thrown into Palair Reservoir to make it appear as a road accident. Based on the complaint, Crime No.45/2026 was registered for the offence under Section 103 BNS, and the petitioner/A2 was arrested on 21.02.2026.

3. Heard Sri P.V. Krishnamachary, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner as well as Sri M. Ramachandra Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent – State.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is innocent and has been falsely implicated on the basis of suspicion and alleged confessional statements made in police custody, which are inadmissible in evidence and that the petitioner was not named in the FIR, there are no eyewitnesses connecting him with the offence, and there is no direct material against him. He further submitted that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 21.02.2026, investigation is almost completed, charge sheet alone remains to be filed, and his further detention is unnecessary. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant bail to the petitioner by allowing this Criminal Petition.

5. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application contending that the allegations are grave and relate to a planned murder committed pursuant to a criminal conspiracy and that the accused persons intentionally killed the deceased and attempted to destroy evidence by staging the incident as an accident. He further submitted that material has been collected during investigation, including witness statements and recoveries, and considering the seriousness of the offence, the petitioner is not entitled to bail at this stage. Therefore, he prayed the Court to dismiss the criminal petition.

6. In the light of the submissions made by both the learned counsel and on perusal of the material available on record, it appears that the deceased had financial disputes with accused No.1 and the prosecution alleges a conspiracy involving the petitioner and other accused to eliminate him. The main allegation against the petitioner is that he participated in the criminal conspiracy, facilitated the murder of the deceased, and joined in causing disappearance of evidence by throwing the body along with the vehicle into the reservoir to project the incident as an accident. As seen from the record, there are serious allegations against the petitioner. Further, voice comparison of the petitioner is pending. At this stage, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner and the same is liable to be dismissed.

7. Accordingly, this Criminal Petition is dismissed. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.