1. The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) by the petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No.31 of 2026 of Vajrakarur Police Station, Ananthapuramu District, was registered for the alleged offence punishable under Sections 85 and 108 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’).

2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the deceased, Nallabothula Adilakshmi, aged about 37 years, was subjected to physical and mental harassment by the accused, which allegedly drove her to take the extreme step of consuming poison on 25.03.2026. She was initially shifted to the Government Hospital, Guntakal, and thereafter referred to the Government Hospital, Kurnool, for better treatment. While undergoing treatment, she succumbed to the poison on 26.03.2026 at about 7.14 p.m. Based on the complaint lodged by her mother, a case was registered against the accused for subjecting the deceased to cruelty and abetting her suicide.

3. Sri Posani Venkateswarlu, the learned Senior Counsel, representing Mr. Posani Akash, the learned counsel for the Petitioners, submits that the Petitioners are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the present case. It is contended that there is no specific allegation of physical or mental cruelty against the Petitioners so as to attract the alleged offences. It is further submitted that the allegations are general and omnibus in nature and are not supported by any independent material. The learned Senior Counsel further submits that the Petitioners undertake to strictly adhere to any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. In light of the foregoing submissions, learned counsel prays that the present petition be allowed in the interest of justice.

4. Per contra, Mr. A. Sai Rohit, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor, vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Petitioners. It is submitted that the allegations against the Petitioners are serious in nature and relate to subjecting the deceased to physical and mental cruelty. It is further submitted that the deceased, unable to bear the alleged harassment, committed suicide by consuming poison and subsequently succumbed to the same. The learned Assistant Public Prosecutor submits that the investigation is still in progress and that the release of the Petitioners on pre-arrest bail may prejudice the investigation. Hence, it is urged that the petition be dismissed.

5. Mr.V.Vivekananda, the learned Legal Aid Counsel, appearing for Respondent No.2/de-facto complainant, concurred with the submissions made by the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and opposed the grant of bail to the Petitioners. It is further submitted that the allegations are supported by the statements of the relatives and other material witnesses. The learned counsel submits that, if released on bail, there is every likelihood of the Petitioners influencing the witnesses and hampering the investigation. Hence, he prays that the petition be dismissed.

6. Heard the learned Senior Counsel for the Petitioners, the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor and the learned Legal Aid Counsel for Respondent No.2. Perused the record.

7. As seen from the record, Petitioner No.1/Accused No.2 is the own sister of the deceased, whereas Petitioner No.2/Accused No.3 is the husband of Petitioner No.1/Accused No.2. Accused No.1 is the husband of the deceased. The marriage between Accused No.1 and the deceased, namely Adilakshmi, was solemnized about 19 years ago. The de-facto complainant, who is the mother of the deceased, stated that for about 10 years, her daughter and Accused No.1 lived happily without any disturbances. The allegation against the Petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 is that they instigated Accused No.1 to beat the deceased. Unable to bear the alleged harassment, the deceased took the extreme step of committing suicide by consuming poison.

8. Having regard to the entire facts and circumstances of the case, the gravity and nature of the allegations leveled against the petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3, the alleged role played by them in this case, this Court deems it fit to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 with the following conditions:

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

                  i. In the event of their arrest, the petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 shall be enlarged on bail subject to their executing a bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) each with two sureties each for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the arresting police officials;

                  ii. The petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 shall make themselves available for investigation as and when required;

                  iii. The petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses

                  iv. The petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 shall appear before the Station House Officer concerned once in a week i.e., on every Saturday between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., till filing of the charge sheet.

                  v. The petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 shall not leave the limits of the State of Andhra Pradesh without the express permission from the Station House Officer concerned.

                   vi. The petitioners/Accused Nos.2 and 3 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.