This petition is filed under section 438 of the Code of

Criminal Procedure, 1973, (for short hereinafter referred to

as 'Cr.P.C.') seeking to enlarge the petitioner who is

arraigned as accused No.2 on anticipatory bail, in Crime

No.177/2022 of Afzalpur Police Station, registered for the

offences punishable under Sections 3 and 7 of Essential

Commodities Act, 1955, pending on the file of Civil Judge

and JMFC Court at Afzalpur, Kalaburagi.

2.

An FIR came to be registered on the basis of a

complaint lodged by one Haridas Chopade, Food Inspector,

Afzalpur, wherein it is alleged that on 28.07.2022 at about

09:30 p.m., he received an information that a TATA Ace

vehicle bearing No.KA-32/AA-1660 is transporting illegally

the rice bags which were meant for public distribution and

the said vehicle was parked in APMC yard Afzalpur. The

complainant went along with officials and panchas near

APMC yard at about 10:15 p.m. and found that TATA Ace

vehicle was parked near APMC yard and they also found in

3

the vehicle around 38 plastic bags containing rice, which

was meant for distribution to the public. When they

enquired the person in the vehicle, he told his name as

Pradeep Rathod who is