(Prayer: Petition under Section 437/438/439/482 of Cr.P.C and 528 of BNSS praying that in the circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court pleased to grant bail to the petitioner/A1 in Crime No 03 of 2026 on the file of the Punganur Urban Police Station)

1. The instant Criminal Petition is filed under Sections 480 & 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’), by the Petitioner / Accused seeking regular bail in connection with Crime No.3 of 2026 on the file of Punganur Urban Police Station, Chittoor District which is registered for the offence under Section 103(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNS’).

2. Heard Sri P.V.Venkata Ravi Sankar, learned counsel for the Petitioner and Ms.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Assistant Public Prosecutor for State.

3. The case of the prosecution, in precise, is that the De facto complainant is the daughter-in-law of the deceased and that on 03.01.2026, her father received a phone call that her father-in-law died. Then she went there and came to know that the Accused and the deceased were having disputes with regard to the gold ornaments of her mother-in-law and in that connection, on 03.01.2026 at about 4.30 p.m., the Accused quarrelled with the deceased, picked up a stone and hit on the head of the deceased due to which he died on the spot.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this is the second bail application filed by the petitioner, as the earlier bail application was dismissed by this Court vide order dated 18.03.2026 in Crl.P. No.1970 of 2026. It is further submitted that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 07.01.2026. He would further submit that, the petitioner has to take care of the children because his wife is working in Vijayawada. The stone which was seized during the course of investigation is very small stone. Even otherwise the deceased was suffering from ill health as on the date of the alleged incident. Investigation is completed in this matter and charge sheet is also filed. There are no criminal antecedents against the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that even as per the case of the prosecution, it is not that the petitioner had entertained any idea or intention to kill the deceased and went there armed with any weapon to commit the murder. The alleged incident might have occurred on the spur of the movement. Learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that the stringent conditions may be imposed while granting bail to the petitioner.

5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor vehemently opposed the petition and submitted that investigation in the present crime has been completed and charge sheet has also been filed and would submit that the Court may pass appropriate orders.

6. Considering the submissions made and on perusal of the material on record, there is some force in the contention made by the learned counsel for the petitioner that even as per the case of the prosecution, it is not that the petitioner had entertained any intention or premeditation to kill the deceased or that he went there armed with any weapon to commit murder, and the alleged incident might have occurred on the spur of the moment.

Since, the investigation is already completed and charge sheet has also been filed, and as the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 07.01.2026 and there are no criminal antecedents against the petitioner, this Court is inclined to release the petitioner/Accused on bail.

7. In the result, the Criminal Petition is allowed with the following conditions:

                  i. The petitioner/Accused shall be enlarged on bail on executing bond for a sum of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned I Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Punganur.

                  ii. The petitioner/Accused shall not commit or indulge in commission of any offence in future.

                  iii. The petitioner/Accused shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court.

                  iv. The petitioner/Accused shall surrender his passport, if any, to the concerned Court. If he claims that he does not have a passport, he shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the concerned Court.

                  v. The petitioner/Accused, shall appear before the concerned Station House Officer, once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between 10:00 am and 05:00 pm, till further orders.

                  vi. The petitioner/Accused, shall not enter the Punganur Town limits until further orders.

8. In the event of violation of any of the above conditions, the prosecution shall be at liberty to seek cancellation of bail.

9. It is also made clear that the observations made in this order are only for the purpose of deciding the bail application and they shall not be construed as opinion on the merits of the Crime.

As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Criminal Petition shall stand closed.