Allowed

Dr.Krishna Reddy Pingle v. The State of Telangana, And 2 Others

Telangana HC23 Dec 2021WP/2407/2021

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

This high court petition challenged the cancellation of an arms licence citing the petitioner's pending criminal cases as grounds. The single judge held that pendency of private nature offences does not justify cancellation without enquiry and commended the respondent to renew the licence. The petition was allowed.

What did the court decide?

Impugned order cancelling arms licence was quashed. Respondent directed to consider application for renewal of licence without reference to cancelled order dated 13.12.2019.

Dr.Krishna Reddy Pingle Vs The State of… — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Telangana HC (2021)

¶1

HIGH COURT^{FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA} (SPecial Original Jurisdiction)

¶2

THURSDAY ,THE^{TWENTY THIRD DAY OF DECEMBER} TWO THOUSAND^{AND TWENTY ONE}

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PRESENT

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THE HONOURABLE^{SRI JUSTICE B'VIJAYSENREDDY}

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WRIT PETITION^{NO:2407 0F 2021}

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Between:

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Dr.Krishna^{Reddy Pingle, S/o Ranadhir Reddy' aged about 40 years'} R/o H.No.79,^{West Maredpalli' Secunderabad}

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_..pETlTlONER

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AND

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1 TheStateofTelangana,HomeDepartment,secretariatBuildings'Secretariat' Hyderabad,^{Re. by its Principal Secretary'-} 2 ihe Commlssioner^{of Police,HyderabaclCity, Hyderabad'} 3 The Deputy Commissioner^{of Police, North Zone'Secundera.bad} pONDENTS

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PetitionunderArticle226oftheConstitutionoflndiaprayingthatinthe circumstances^{stated in the affidavitfiled therewith'the High Court maybe} pleaSedtoissUeanappropriatewrit,orderordi.rectionmoreparticularlyonein.the nature of writ of Mandamus^{declaring th"} -^Proceedings No.HN/A2lArmS/5098/2018-lg,datedl3ll2l2olgonthefileofthe2ndrespondent in-.un.u[ing the^{Arms llcense of the petitioner'is highlyillegal' arbitrary and in} Frinciples ot^{Uaturat Justice and also in violationof Articles 14 and21} "i"iJo" of the Constitution "i^{of lndia,apart from the violation.of the provisions of The Arms} i.i, ielg unJ^{Rrt"r rro" ili"iu,nderand set asidethe same and consequently} directthe2ndrespondenttorenewtheArmsLicenseNo.l00standsinthename of^petitioner.

¶12

lA NO:^{1oF 2021}

¶13

PetitionUnderSectionl5.lCPCprayingthatinthecircumstancesstatedin the affidavit^{filed in suppon oi tnu p"iition' if'9} 1loh^{Court may be pleased to} suspend^{the operationof tnu p'ot"LiingsNo HN/A21Arms/ 5098/ 2018-19 dated} 13112tzojg^{on the fire ot in"" znJiuupJncentby directing the 2ndrespondentto} renewArmsLicenseUorOO-int"uourofthepetiiioner'pendingdisposalofthewrit petition.

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Counsel for^{the Petitioner:SRl'V V N NARAYANARAO}

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Counsel^{for the Respondents:AGPFOR HOME}

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The Court^{made the following:}

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HONOUII.AI}LE SIU JUSTICE^{I}. VIJAYSENRIIDI)Y}

¶18

wRI-t l,E]'lTIo N No.2-107 OF²⁰²¹

¶19

oRDIlll:

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'I his t rit petition ]S iilcd by the^{petitioner - Dr'. Krishna} lleclcly I)ine.le scckins^r'r,l'it ol'^{tttttntlcrrrtrrsclcclalingtllt'} Ilrocee(lillgs No.llNir\2iArrns/5098i2018-19 clatctl lj.ll.20l9^{issued bl} rc'spondent No.2 - tlie Comtnissioner ol^{Police, Hi"derabadCity.} I'lyclerabad. cancelling his arnts licence^{as beingillegal. albitraly.} violatir c ot' Alticlcs 1.1 ancl I I of the ConstitiLtion^{ol- Inclia arld} plovisions of the Arms Act 1959 (for short^'Arrns Act'),^{and the} Rules rradc tht'reunclet'. antl lbl a conseqrtential clirection to the respondents to renew his Anrs L.icence No. 100.

¶21

2.^'l-he case o 1' the petitioner is that arnrs lict'nce u,as trarrsl'erred to hir.n liom his n'rother Smt. SLrclha lLeddy'in 1998, It lracl becn renewccl iiom timc to tinte. \lhile so. r'espondent No.3 - the L)e1:utr,^{('orrmissiorrcr} ol' [)cllicc, Nolt]t 1.one, SecLrndclabarl inlbrmcd the petitionel thlotrgh tlrc rrolicc date(l 01.10.101E that hc has to sr.rbnrit rcquisition ttr r reneu'al of his ar.r s licence in

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accordance^{with law. Pttrsuant therelo' the petitionerr-nade an} application^{for renewalof hisarn.rslicence' RespondentNo'2 wl.ro} is the Iicensing^{authority without conducting any enquiry,contrary} ro tlie^{provisionsof the Arms Act and without providingany} opportunity,^{cancelled his arms licence by the impugned} proceedings^{No.HN/A2lArms/5098/2018-19 dated 13'12'2019 on} the ground^{that he is involved in CrirneNo'55of 2019 registered} for the^{offences punishableunder Sections 498-4'406' 506' 352} and Sections^{3,4 ancl 6 o1'theDowly ProhibitionAct' l96lon the} file of the^{Station House Officer'Begumpet Worncn Police Station'} Sec r-rndelabad.

¶24

l. I learti^{Sri ' "'\ltt rtr rt.tlt Iiao lcalrtcclcotttrscllirt th"} pL'titioltcr'.^{anci leartlccl} ''\ssisLatrt^{Govctt.tt.:tct-tt Picadel lbr llonle'} artcl petttsecl^{thc lnatcrialon recorci'}

¶25

It is subrritted^{by the lear-ned counselfor the petitioner} that section^{3 of the AIms Act providesfor licencefor acquisition} and^{possessionof fire arurs and atlmunitiot-t'and Section 13}

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Section t4^{providestbr relusalo1'} pro\rides tbr^grant of^liccnce.

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iicc-nce which^{readsas rtncler:}

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'' l-t l{tl\rslrl of licences i I i (,t\ illlstiltl(Lill3.^{itrlr tllittg itt seetititl il} LIte lieen:inii ltrLtltoritr^{slllrll rclirsc lo sriLllt:}

¶29

(a) a licence ttndcr section 3.^section 'l^or seotion 5 ultcre^{sttch licenceis requiredin} respect of an1'^{prohibited arms or prohibited} iin llUliLlloll:

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(b) a iicsnce in an.v- other^{case ttllderC haptcr} [:

¶31

(it \'hcre sttch liccrtcc is rccluired^{br a pcrsolt} rrhoil the liecrl-iin5l^{atltilorit\ llas rcltsottlir} trclicr c:

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ti) to bc^{prohitritcd br tlris Aet or b\ an otlter lari lirr thc^{tirnc bcing in lbrcc liorll} ir'\lrlilill!.^{lt:rr ittr: itr lli:} 1r""i"i"11 "1 !ilft^{ il,'- .rll\ .lllll'r't ,Ittt tIttItiIi''It^llt'}}

¶33

(2) Io [te trl ttttstlttltd^{rlrilltl.r-lr} (3) ro bt' lbr atlrcas()ll tinllt tirr Ilicenec Lrntlcr tltis Act:^or

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(ii) Wherc the licensing^{authority' deems it} necessary tbr^{the security of tlie public peacc}

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or iirr Irrrhlic salclr 1o lclirsc l(l^gl lutt sltclt lie cne c.

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(l) Ihc liccrtsinc rrutlrtrrilr slrtll rrot tclilsc t() lranl iln\ liccnsc lo ilrl\ llcfsoll nrcrcll, ou thc^qroLrncl thiil such llcrstltt docs not o\ n or' posscss^sLr l'licicrtt prollcft'.

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(3) Where thc lioensing authoritv refuscs to grant a licence to any^person it shall rccord in rvliting the reasons lor^such relusal and hrrnish to that person on demand a briel statement ol the same unless in any case the licensing authority is of thc opinion that it r.vill not be in the puhlic intercst to lirrnish such statelnent.''

¶39

Scction l7 of the i\rnrs Act^provides lbr^variation.

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suspcnsion and revocation ol licences.^{SrrLrsection(3) ol'Section} I 7 ol thc Arnts Act reads as firllolr^s:

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'' 17. Variation, suspcnsion and revocation of licenccs - (l) l'he Iiccnsing authority rna), var) the.conditions subicct to rvhich a licence has bcen glantcd cxcept such of thclr as have been prcscritred^ancl tnay lor that

¶42

Iu1-l)(r:!^{Ic(lUire(i tlrc Iiccrtec-holrlt,rI-,r} I^ticeirr trrilini: lLr ilclircr-rr1t tlre liccnec to it titltin srrch tintc il) nla\ sl)ccillcri in the noticc.

¶43

(2)^'[ he licensing aurhoriry m0'. on rhc application ol'the holder o1'a licence. also var1, the conditions of the licence except such ol thcm as have been prcscribed.

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(3) The licensing aurhority may by ordcr in rvliting suspencl a licence fbr such periocl as it thinks tit ol rcvokc a licencc:

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(rr) i1'thc iicensing luthorit) is sirtisllcd tltat llrc lroltlcr rrl tltc liccncc rs lrrohihitcd br tlris Act or br lrrtr otltel llni lirr tlre. tirlc hcing in lirree. liont uecprilirrt. lilrr ing in his p()SSCSsioll (rI e ltrr,r in_r-l All\ ll|n\ ()f irrntrttrtition. or is ol'trr.rsorrnd rnincl. or is lirr ar)\ tclisr)ll unllt til a liccncc untlcl this l\ct: Lrr

¶46

(ir) i1' thc liccnsins auth()rit) rleerrrs it tleccssrlr'\ lbr tlte sccrrritr ol thc ptrblic lleitcc ()r lirr prrblic satctr to susytentl or rcr olic thc licencc: or

¶47

(c) il the licence rvas obtainecl bv thc suppression o['rlateriaI infbrrration or on thc basis o1'rvrong inIirrrnation provicled bv thc

¶48

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holder of'thc licencc or an), othcr pcrson on his bchallat the tinre ofapph'ine lbr it: or

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(d) if any' of the corrditions o1'the Iicence has becn contravencd: or

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(e) ilthc holder olthe liccncc has lhilcd to cornpll' u'ith a notice unricr suh-scction (l) requiring hinr to dclivcr-up thc liccrrce.

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(4) l'he liccnsing airthoritv lna)/ also revokc a Iiccnce on thc application ol'thc holcler tlrereol.

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(-5) Wherc the licensing authorily makes an orcler varying a licence under sub-section (1) or an order suspending or revoking a licence r.rnder sub-section (3), it shall record in rvriting 1hc rcasons therefore and lurnisli to thc holder ol'tlie licencc on tlentand a brief staternent o1thc same unless in an), case t.he licensing authoritv is o1'the opini()n that it \'ill ltot be in thc public intcrest 1o lirrrrish such statentcllt.

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((r)^-l'he authoritl' lo *torn thc liccnsine authority is sLrbordinate rnav by order in ri,ritiug suspcnd or rcvokc a liccncc on any grouud ru uhich it may' he suspcndcd or revokccl h1, the liccnsing authoritl: and thc lbregoing provisions o1'this section shall. as lar as nta-u-

¶55

be. apply in rclation to^{the sllspcllsion} of rcr'ocrtiort of a licencc by^{strchatlthorit)'.}

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(7) A courl convicting thc holdcr ol'a liconce of any ollence trndel this^{Act or the rules I.tladc} thereunder ma1' also sttspcnd^{or rcvol<c the} licenc e:

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l)rovidcd that if the conviction^{is set aside} on appcal or otheru'isc.^{ttre suspensiott or} rcr"ocatiolt shall bccorne^{vo itl.}

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(8) ,,\tt otilct ()l stlsllcll\ioll or lc()elltioll 1111is'1 5qtl-:r-'etiotl^(l) llltlitls,., bc tllLttlcl''r atl li1-.,pcllutc cotlrl r)l' br^{thc I li!.hC ottrl $ltcll} ereIti.itt: i1.1"'u;1.^{)l le i'i"ll.}

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(9) I'hc Cctttral^(iovernrnent rra).^{b1' order} in thc Ol licial Cazettc.^{suspetrd ot' t'cvokeor} clircct any liccnsing^{authoritl'to sLlspen(l ol'} rcvoke all or atty licences^{grantecltrnderthis} Act throughout lndia^{or an) part thereot.}

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(10) On thc suspension or^{rcvocation of a} licence under this section^{the holtlcr thcreof'} shall iiithout tlclal'^{surrcntlerthe liccnccto tltc} authority b1' uhonr it^{has bcen sttspenclctl or} revoked or to sllcli other^{ituthorityas t.naybe}

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specified in this behall' in thc orcler ol suspension or revocation."

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It is submitted by the learned counsel for the^petitioner that as per Section l4 of the Arms .,\ct, Itotn'itltstarrdirlg^anvthitlg contained in Section l3 ol^{the Alnts} Act,^{the lice nsingatrthority} would relirse to grant licence on the grounds stipulated^under Section l4 ol the Arms Act. Section l7(lXh)^{of the ArnrsAct} authoriscs the liccnsing authoritv to^{carrccl ot' rcvoke artlts licelrce} lbr secr-rrity of tire public^{peaceor fbr pLrblic sal-et1'. In thc} Prcsent case, withor-rt arry sulticient^{ntatelialabout renewalol licencethat} u,or.rlcl endar.rger the pr,rblic lleace or ltublic saf'ety, respor.rdent^No.2 cancelled the arrns licence of the^{petitionerin an albitrarymallner} "vhich^{ar-nountsto colourableexerciseol the power vestedwitll} him

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(a) The petitionel has agricr"rltural properties at Bolikoncla Village Nil<l<onda Mandal, MahabLrbabad Distlict^{u'hich is a} naxalites int-ected area. I'hc^{petitiottcr and his 1'atherale} sr.rpervising thc agricr,rltural operat.ions^{itr pcrsotl.It is very'tnilch} essential lbr thern to itave arms fbr^{supelvisingagl'icultural}

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operations ir-r [he naxalites donrinated area. The petitioner is also^a life rnernber in the Rille Association of India. The dowrv harassment casc is foistc-d against tl-re petitioncr bv l-ris rvile. Mere registration o1' crirninal case cannot be a ground to revoke at'ms liccnce.^'l'he arms licence was grantecl in 1975 lor persotral safctv ancl sc'cLrrity alter ch-r e enqr-rir'1 by the licensirre lrr.rtholit,"-- arrd it cannot bc' revokecl as the provisions ol Section 17 o1'the Alnts A.ct u'oulcl uot be attractcd. Such plovisior-rs wor.rld attract oltly in case thc licensing ar,rtholin, llnds that continuation of licence^is detrimental to the public peace or public security and^saI'ct1'. Respondent No.2 tailed to record a finding as to^{why, underwhat} circumstances and in what rranner, possession of arms licence^b1' the petitionel could be contrary to the^provisions of^{Sectionl7 ol'} the Alrrs,\ct.

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In the coLurtel ol rcspor-rclent No.3, it is stated^{thntaf rlis} licencc' *,as transll'rrecl in thc' natnc of the^ytetitioner floirl^his n.rotl'Ier in the vear 1998. While so. thc^{pe-titioncr is involvedirl} Crinre No.55 o1' l0 i9 rcgistere d lbr^{thc ollerlcesprrr.rishableurnder'} Sections 498-r.506 and 351 olthe Irrtlian^{l)enal('odc, 1860.arrd}

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ti)

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Sectiorrs l. 4 and 6 of the I)orvr-v l)rohibition Act. 1961. rvherein charge sheet has been liled and tlre sarne r'vas taken on tile as C.C. No. I l0(r9 ol' 201 9 by the learned XV Additional Chiel' Metropolitan Magistrate, and case is pending trial.^'fhe petitioner holds Arms Licence No.2l6lMalcdpally ancl posscssing⁽ I ).32 Pistol bealing No.48296, (2) .30 Bor Rifle bearing No.24-50. and (3) 12 Bore DBBt, Gun bearing No.34354.^-l'he petitioner has not nrentioned ar-ry specific threat in his petition or subrrritted anv docurrentary evidence. There is no threat to the lile oi the petitionc.r. Crinrinal Casc is pcnding trial. Hcnce, arrrs liccnce o1' the petitionel has [..leen cancclled. Irrstcad ol'lrling appcal Lrnclcr Scctiorr l8 ot'the Ams Act lrefbre the^{(lo"'ernment,} the petitioner' fi led thc present writ petition.

¶70

Flaving considered the subrnissions ol the leamed cor-rnsel tbr the petitioner and the learned Assistant Gover'ru.rrent Pleader lor Horne. this Court is ol the opiniorl that the irnpugned order is unsustairrable for the following reasons.

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lt is an adnrittcd casc that licence^rvasissr.red to^thc petitiorlcr in N4a)'. 1998. on the satre beirlg trarrsf'erred^{h'orr his} t-rlothcr anci it *,as leneu,ed liom tin-re to time.^{Mcre pendetlcyol'a} criminal clise cillrnot bc a^groLlnd to rcvoke^{artrls licetlce. ln thc} instant case. the petitionel is accusc-cl in C.C.^{No. I 1069 ol' 20 I9} arisiug out ol Crime No.55 of 2019 which is^pending trial.^Thc oflences pLrnishable under Section 498-4.^{406, 506, 352 of lPC} and Section 3, 4 and 6 of DP Act are^{private in natut'e. -l'here is t.lo} element of breach ol the public^{peace and public tranquillity} involvecl in the above ol'l'cnces registered^{against the petitioner.} 'l'he agglieved parn' is r^,'i1c o1'the petitioner. 'fhcrc is rto allegatiorr tl-ral the petitiolter has rrisrtscd his^{Iiccr-rceor that tllerc is an-u- sLrch} threat to lhe tle.lhcto complainarrt^{in CrimeNo.5 5 of 20 l9}

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t0. It nc'eds to bc notcd that^{t'e r} ocatioll^{ol'arttls licelrcc cltll} be made only under the enuttteratecl^{conditions provided undcl'} Scction I 7(3 ) o I the Arrrs Act. lt^{is not the casco1' the licensing} authoritl,that the^petitiolter is Lrntlt^{to holcl Iicenceor sttppresscd} anf inlornrtrtion at the tinte of^{applfingfor licenceor that he llas}

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contravened the conditions ol Iiccrrcc.^{'I-ltLrs.('latrses(a). (c) and} (d) o1' sub scction (3) ol Section l7 ol' thc Anls .Acl are^l1o1 attracteci. So tar as Clrtrsc-^{(b) o1'stth scctiort (l ) o1'Sectiorll7 ol-} thc Arnrs .,\ct is cottcctncd.^{as tlr.rtetl abovc'.it catlttot bc saicl that} thele is an1.' thlcat to^the llLrblic^{pcace or} lltrblic^{saf'cl1'nlclcll'} because the petitiorrer^{is involvcd ir.r C-ritre No.-r5 oi 20 i9-l irough} it is contendcd b1,^{the learned AssistantGove|nmcntPlcacler that} appeal lentecly^{r.rtlderSectiot-rl8 oi- thc Al'rrsAc1 is availablc'this} Cor.rrt is o1' thc^{vier', that rcr ocatiorl tllattl-ts licence ol- the} pctitioncr is^u,ithor.rt .jLrr.iscliction^{andar. ailabilitr',of llltct'tratir e} rentccll, crr.rnot^{lte a groLrucl lirI not entertairlittg tllc $ r'it pctition} uncler',\ tlicle ll(r^{o1- the ('onstitLrl ii'rrr ol'I rlciiri'}

¶76

l l. l:ot' lllc^{alirlt'saicl lcasolls. rhc lrit} l)c'liti()ll^{is allo$cd} and thc Icocatioll ot'dcr in p|occcclirlgsNoll-\ 1:\ l"'\r'rrlsi5 098' l0l,-19 clatecl il.ll.l019^{passecl bv t'espotrdctrt No l -tlre} Con.intissiorrcr.^{ol- [)olicc.IIVrlcr'.rb-cl Cit1,. 'l'elangallais clrrashccl.} Accorclingll'.^{responclettt r.\o.l isclirectecl loconsider thc} application^{ol- the petitioner lo| t'cnelval o1'his a|rlrs licerlce rvithout} lclerence to his orclel^{datcd 13.12.20i9..No ot'cier as to cosls'}

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f-i

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As a seqr,rel thereto,^{miscellaneous pe titions. il any.pending}

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ir-r tl're w'rit petitioll^{startd closecl}

SD/.T.SRINIVAS

ASSISTANT^REGISTRAR

,TRUE^COPY'

L.."

SECTION^OFFICER

To,

1 . The^{PrincipalSecretary, HomeDepartment' State of Telangana'Secretariat} Buildings,^{Secretariat, Hyderabad'}

¶87

;;; C";;iisioner^{of Police'HvderabadCitv'Hvrlerabad'}

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;. iii; 6"priv^{C"..i.tion"ior Ptlice'Nortn Zone'Secunderabad'}

¶89

;. ;; c-it^{'Sri. V V N Naravana Rao' Advocate{oPUCl} 5. Two^{CCs to GP io' no'iJ,'Iigh co"t rot the Siateof Telangana [oUT]}

¶90

Two^{CD CoPies.}

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One^SPareCoPY

PM TR

HIGH COURT

DATED:2311212021

ORDER

,ge srAre 6; //"o*
/. .-
1 3 IPB 2022
*,

¶97

WP.No.2407^{of 2021}

¶98

Allowing the^WP Without costs.

¶99

s'
L

Dr.Krishna Reddy Pingle v. The State of Telangana, And 2 Others

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Dr.Krishna Reddy Pingle v. The State of Telangana, And 2 Others

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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