Thatigari Krishnaveni Vs The State of Telangana — Dowry and Cruelty | Telangana HC (2026)

Thatigari Krishnaveni Vs The State of Telangana — Dowry and Cruelty | Telangana HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitioners/accused Nos. 1 and 2 granted liberty to submit replies to the Section 35(3) BNSS notices with all relevant documents in their custody; Investigating Officer directed to scrupulously follow Section 35(3) BNSS procedure and the Arnesh Kumar and Md. Asfak Alam guidelines/principles and to conclude the investigation; miscellaneous applications pending, if any, stand closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the proceedings in FIR No. 382 of 2025 (Sections 85, 115(2), 352, 351(2) read with Section 3(5) BNS) against Accused Nos. 1 and 2 ought to be quashed on the ground that the ingredients of the said offences are not attracted against the petitioners. +1 more

Court's answer

Petitioners/accused Nos. 1 and 2 are granted liberty to submit their replies to the said notices, raising their pleas and enclosing all relevant documents available in their custody.

Ratio / Principle

The offences levelled against petitioners/accused Nos. 1 and 2 are punishable with imprisonment of less than seven years.

Key takeaways

Notices under Section 35(3) of the BNSS had already been issued to petitioners/accused Nos. 1 and 2 on 19.01.2026 and 24.01.2026 respectively.ratio¶68
The Investigating Officer is directed to scrupulously follow the procedure contemplated under Section 35(3) of the BNSS and the guidelines and principles issued by the Hon'ble Apex Court in Arnesh Kumar (supra) and Md. Asfak Alam (supra), and to conclude the investigation.ratio¶70

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Common Order (Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, High Court of Telangana at Hyderabad, 11.02.2026) disposing of Criminal Petition Nos. 836 and 837 of 2026, filed under Section 528 BNSS by Dr. K.M. Ram Prahlad (Accused No.1) and Thatigari Krishnaveni (Accused No.2) seeking quashal of FIR No. 382 of 2025 dated 28.12.2025 of Pargi Police Station, Vikarabad District, registered under Sections 85, 115(2), 352, 351(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Observing that the offences are punishable with imprisonment of less than seven years and that Section 35(3) BNSS notices had already been issued on 19.01.2026 and 24.01.2026, the Court granted the petitioners liberty to submit replies to the notices raising their pleas with all relevant documents, directed the Investigating Officer to scrupulously follow the Section 35(3) BNSS procedure together with the Arnesh Kumar and Md. Asfak Alam guidelines and to conclude the investigation, and disposed of the petitions subject to those directions; pending miscellaneous applications stand closed.

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IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD

WEDNESDAY, THE ELEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J SREENIVAS RAO

CRIMINAL PETITION NOS; 836 AND 837 OF 2026

CRIMINAL PETITION NO:836 OF 2026

Between:

Dr K. fvl. Ram Prahlad, S/o Jayaprakash, Aged al:out 42 years, Occupation: Doctor (Oncologist). R/o H.No.38-16, ButchaiahThota 4"'lane, Near Nehru nagar Main R oad Kothapeta, Guntur-S22001, A.P

..PETITIONER/ACCUSED No.1

AND

1 The State of Telangana, Rep. by its P.P High Court at Hyderabad

2 Smt. VarlaHarika, W/o Dr. K.fvl. Ram Prahlad, Aged about 37^years,R/o Teachers Colony, Pargi, Vikarabad District

...RESPONDENTS

Petition under Section 528 of BNSS, praying that in the circumstances stated in the Menrorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High Court^may be pleased to

a. quash the FIR in FIR No 382/2025 dated^2811212025 on^{the file of Pargi} Police Station Vrkarabad District in so far as the Petitioner/Accused^{No 1 is} concerned,

b. Pending disposal of the Criminai Petition this^Honourable Court^{may be} pleased to stay all further proceedings, including arrest, coercive Steps against Accused No.1^.

l.A. NO: 2 OF 2026

Petition under Section 528 of BNSS,^praying that in the circumstances stated in the lt4emorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, the High^{Court may} be pleased to stay all further^proceedings not to arrest and Dispense^withthe personal appearance of the Petitioner before the Police and Trial court during the

.T.:ftrypr ,/ ---

pendency of the Criminal Petition FIR No. 382 of 2025 at lris stage, pending finalization of the Criminal Petition.

CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 837 OF 2026

Between

Thatigari Krishnaveni, Wo Late Suresh Thatigari Aged ab: t 29 yrs. Occ: Pvt Employee R/o 5-6-191, Nehru nagar, Gajularamaram f cad Quthbullapur, Medchal-[,4alkajgifl , Telangana.500055

...PETlTlOl'll R/ACCUSED No.2

AND

'1. The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Station House I ficer, Pargi Police Station, Vikarabad District. rep by Pubic Prosecutor High i turt Hyderabad.

Smt. VarlaHarika, Wo Dr. K. M. Ram Prahlad, Aged a rout 37 years, R/o Teachers Colony, Pargi, Vikarabad District

RESPONDENTS

Petition under Section 528 of BNSS, praying that ir he circumstances stated in the l/emorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, i e High Court may be^pleased

a. to quash the FIR No 38212025 daled 28/1212025 on th:^;ile of Pargi Police Station Vikarabad District in so far s the Petitioner \ccused No 2 is concerned and

b. pending Disposal of the Criminal petition this Hon t e Court may be pleased to: Stay all further proceedings, rncluding ar1 st, coercive steps .against Accused No.2.

LA. NO: 2 OF 2026

Petition under Section 528 of BNSS, praying that ir he circumstances stated in the Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition, ll e High Court may be pleased to stay all further proceedings not to arrest anc )ispense with the personal appearance of the Petitioner before the Police anc trial Court during pendency of the criminal petition in FIR No 382 of 2025 in t) ; Parigi Vikarabad pending finalization of the Criminal petitron

This Petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing t.r Memorandum of Grounds of Criminal Petition and upon hearing the argumen.r of Sri Sarat Ram Suryadevara, Advocate for the Petitioner and of Sri. tvl. Vivetl, nanda Reddy, the Assistant Public Prosecutor for the State of Telangana rn behalf of the Respondent No.1 and None appeared for Respondent no.2.

The Court made the following: COMMON ORDER

HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J. SREENIVAS RAO

CRIMINAL PETITION Nos.836 and 837 of 2o26

DATE: LL.O2.2O26

cRIMINAL PETITION No.836^of 2o26

Between:

Dr. K.M.Ram Prah Iacl

pcti tioncr/ accused No. 1

AND

The State of Telangan:r, Rep bv its Public^Proscculor, High Court, Hyderabad, and zrnothcr

respondents

CRIMINAL PETITION No.837 of 2026

Between:

Thatigari Krishnavcni

pe titioner/ accused No.2

AND

'I'he State ol Telangana, Rep by its Station House Officer, Parigi Police Station,^{Vikarabad District,} Rep by Public Prosecutor,

High Court, Hydcrabad, aud anothcr

.respondents

Common Order

These criminal petitions^{have been hled b]'the}

petitioners / accused No. 1 and^{2 seeking to quash the proceedingsin} FIR.No.382 of 2025 ot^{ParigiPolice Station, VikarabadDistirct,} registered [or thc^{olfcncesundcr Sections 85, L15(2), 352,351(2)}

2

read with Se:t:tion 3(5) ol the Bharatiya Nya-t. Sanl'rita, 2023^(fctr short. 'BNS ).

I-learcl Mr. Sarat Ram Suryadcvar:r,^le:r t'cl counsel lor thc pctitioncrs appcaring through video r:or-rfcrence, etnd Mr. I,1. Vivckananda Rcddy, learncd Assista^I Pubhc Prosccr: tor appearing lor rcspondent No. 1.

Le zr:-:.rcd couns"'l [or thc pctitioners rl>rrritred that r I,e pctitioncrs Irave not committcd the olfences rcl t her.' have l-lr:r'r'r ferlsch. inrplir:.,rLcd in the present cr-ime. F]i', accord ing to 1he :rllcgations made in the complaint, the ingrccr nts o[ the oflc n cc s under Sections 85, 1 ).5(2), 352,351(2) read wit r Scct.ion 3(5) arc not attracLed agaiast the petitioners. Hou'ever, the lvcstigatir-rg O llice r, rvithout follos,ing the mandator v- proccdure prr':., ribcd under Scc[ion 35(3) of thc L3haratiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanlr a, 2023 (for sl.rort, 'BNSS), the guidelincs issued by thc Apcx Cor r in Arnesh Kumar Vs. State of Biharl, the principles laid dou.l t I.r t: Ape'-x Cor-rrt in Md. Asfak Alam a. The Sto,te of Jharkhand. [r, anr. (Cr1.A. No.22O7 of 20231 datcd 31.07.2023, and also the circular ssued by this Court in ROC.No. 1j99 lSOl2023 dated O9.08.2023, i:, rroceeding with^t he investigaLion :-rnd the same is contrary to law.

ll0lilS SC(^r"i

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Learned Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that^the oflence levcled against the petitioners are^{punishablewith} imprisonment belou' seven years. The^{investigatirrgofficer has} alrcady issued notice under Section^{35 (3) ol BNSSon 19.O1.2026to} irccuscd No.I and on^{24.O1.2026toaccused No.2, and the} petitioners are entitled to submit^{their detailed reply by raising all} the pleas u,hich are available to^{them by enclosing the documents,} which arc on their custody, to thr:^{lnvestigatingOfhcer,and the} lnvestigating Officer will also [ollot^{the proceclureas contemplated} under law.

The above said submission has^{not been opposedby the} Iearned counsel for the^petitioners

Having considered the rival^{submissions made bythe} respective parties and upon^{perusalof the matcrial available on} record, it reveals that the offences levelled^against pctitioners/ accused Nos.l and 2^{arc punishable with imprisonment} of less than seven years.^{Even accordingto the lcarned Additional} Public Prosecutor, ihe Investigating^{Ofhcer has already issued notice} under Section 35(3) of the^{BNSS to petitioners} /^{accusedNos.l and 2} on 19 .01.2026 and 24.01^{.2026 respectivcly. [n vieu' of the same,} peti tioners/ accused Nos.1 artd 2^{arc granled liberty to submittheir}

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reply to Lhe notices by raising the pleas by t:n losing all relevanr clocumcnts available in their custody. The Inr j tigzrting ()fficer is further dirt:cte<l t. scrupulouslr follow the procr. lurt: conr.rnplatcd undcr Scction l5(3) of thc BNSS and the guide I res ancl principlcs issued by thc Hon'ble Apex Court in Araesh Kur, ar supra and Md. Asfak Alam suoro, and conclude the investigati,r I

7 . Subjt'ct to 1l-re above dircctions, thesc Crrr inltl pr:tit rons arc disposcd of.

Miscellanr:orrs applications, pending if anv. r rill stand closed

Sd/- I .PONNA KRISHNA ASSIS IANT REGISTRAR

//TRUE COPY//

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ECTIoN oFFIcER

To

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The Statron House Offrcer, pargi police Station, Vikarabal Jrstrict.

z lwo CCs to the Public prosecutor, High court for the statr: rf Telangana, at Hyderabad [OUT]

One CC to Srr Sarat Ram Suryadevara, Advocate [OpU: 4 Two CD Copies

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HIGH COURT

DATED: 1110212026

ORDER

CRLP.Nos.836 AND 837 OF 2026

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DISPOSING OF THESE CRL.PETITONS

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