Sappidi Narasimha v. The State of Andhra Pradesh, Through S.H.O. Tirupathi East PS

in connection with FIR No.111 OF 2026 on the file of Tirupathi East Police Station, Tirupathi District charged under offences punishable under Sections 308(5), 318(4) of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 9-I Of the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974 r/w Section 3(5) Of BNS. The Petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the affidavit filed in support thereof arid upon hearing the arguments of M/s. VMR LEGAL Counsel for the Petitioner, Assistant Public Prosecutor for Respondent and the Court made the following. ORDER: APHC010279652026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3521] (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE 18‘^ DAY OF AUGUST 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 4423/2026 Between:

1.SAPPIDI NARASIMHA, REDDY, WRONGLY MENTIONED AS THANAPALLI NARASIMHULU IN THE FIRR/O. D.NO.3-63, TIRUPATHI MANI RURAL,TIRUPATHI DISTRICT. KALVA,THANAPALLE, BHASKAR NALLA S/0. ..PETITIONER/ACCUSED AND

1.THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, .,THROUGH S.H.O. TIRUPATHI EAST PS,REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF AP AT AMARAVATHI. ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT Counsel for the Petitioner/accused:

1.VMR LEGAL Counsel for the Respondent/complainant:

1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR The Court made the following: ORDER: The Criminal Petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNSS’) Petitioner/Accused No.4 for granting of pre-arrest bail in connection with Crime No. 111 of 2026 of Tirupathi East Urban Police Station, Tirupathi District, Or.YLR, Crl.P.No.4423of2{)26 Dated 18.08.2026 registered for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 308(5) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity ‘the BNS’) and Section 9-1 of the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974 (for brevity ‘the APG Act’) read with 3(5) of ‘the BNS’. CASE OF THE PROSECUTION:

2. Material averments stemming from prosecution are^ prior to

13.02.2026 at about 3.00 p.m., at Muni Cool Drinks Shop, opposite Group Theatre, Tirupati Town, the Accused Nos.1 to 4 in collusion with each other, allegedly induced the de-facto complainant to participate in online cricket betting and casino games by promising him that he could earn huge amounts easily by investing money through his mobile phone. Believing the words of Accused No.1, complainant allegedly invested amount Rs. 15,00,000/- in online betting and lost the said amount. Thereafter, Accused Nos.1 and 2 allegedly contacted the complainant over the phone and asked him to come to the cool drinks shop of Accused No.1. They allegedly threatened him with dire consequences and compelled him to participate in online betting, further threatening to kill him if he refused to do so. Out of fear, the complainant allegedly paid a further amount of Rs.8,00,(X)0/- as betting amount and participated in online cricket betting and casino games, resulting in the loss of the said amount. It is further alleged that Accused Nos.1 to 4, in collusion with each other, extorted the said amount from the complainant and cheated him with an intention to obtain wrongful gain. 5 Dr.YLR, J Crl.P.No.4423of 2026 Dated 18.08.2026 Crl.M.P.No.104 of 2026, dismissed the pre-arrest bail application filed by the Petitioner/Accused No.4.

9. The de-facto complainant is a major and a matured person. It is alleged that he voluntarily participated betting and lost an amount of Rs. 15,00,000/-. Thereafter, having decided not to participate in online gaming due to the losses suffered by him, he again, after four days, on 10.02.2026, resumed playing the game after being lured by one of the accused and lost amount of Rs.50,000/-. On 11.02.2026, he again participated in betting and lost an amount of Rs. 1,00,000/-. Subsequently, he again participated in online betting and casino games and lost an amount of Rs.8,00,000/-.

10. It is further alleged that, due to the losses suffered by him and out of shame, the de-facto complainant contemplated committing suicide. However, remembering his children, and upon the intervention of his friend, he returned home. Significantly, the de-facto complainant himself stated in his complaint that the Petitioner and the other accused had taken the amounts from him in the form of game proceeds. The allegations in the complaint are against \ / I Accused Nos.1 and 2, who.have already been enlarged on bail.

11. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, gravity and nature of the allegations levelled against the Petitioner, this Court is inclined to grant pre-arrest bail to Petitioner/Accused No.4.

12. In the result. Criminal Petition is allowed with the following conditions: i. In the event of arrest, Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall be enlarged on bail subject to his executing a bond for a sum 6 Dr.YLR, r Cri.P.No.4423 of 2026 Dated 18.08.2026 of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only) each with two sureties each for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the arresting police officials. The Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall make himself available for investigation as and when required. The Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall not cause any threat, inducement or promise to the prosecution witnesses. IV. The Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall appear on 20.08.2026 at 10:00 a.m., before the Station House Officer concerned and continue to appear 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 Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall not leave the State of Andhra Pradesh without the express permission from the Station House Officer concerned. VI. The Petitioner/Accused No.4 shall surrender his passport, if any, to the investigating officer. If he claims that he does not have passport, he shall submit an affidavit to that effect to the Investigating Officer. SDI- P.SIVA SITA RAMA KUMAR ASSISTA^ REGISTRAR SECTION OFFICER //TRUE COPY// To,

1. The V Additional Judicial Magistrate 2- The S.H.O., Tirupathi East 3. One CC to M/s. VMR 4. Two CCs to PUBLIC of Pirst Class, Tirupathi. UPS, Tirupati District.. ~ legal Advocate fOPUCJ prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh. [OUT]

5. One spare copy KSR / HIGH COURT DR.YLR, J DATED: 18/08/2026 BAIL ORDER CRLP NO. 4423 OF 2026 ALLOWED