High Court · 2025

'1 . The State of Telangana, Through S Prosecutor, High Court, HYderabad. O, Hayat Nagar, ReP. bY the Public R PdN DENT/DEfACTO.COMPLAINANT

2. R. Nirajan, S/o Not Known Detective Ranga Reddy Dist, State of Telangana nspector, Hayat Nagar Police Station Petition under Section 528 of BN circumstances stated in the Memorandum High Court may be pleased to quash the S Principal Senior Civil Judge Cum Asst. Ses Nagar and the Petitioner/Accused No. 4 l.A. NO: 2 OF 2025 ...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT S Act, 2023 praying that in the Grounds of Criminal Petition, the C. No. 59 ol 2024 on the file of the ions Judge, Ranga ReddY Dist, L.B. Petition under Section 528 of BN circumstances stated in the Memorandum High Court may be pleased to grant stay o 59 ot 2024 on the file of the Learned Pr. Se S Act, 2023 praying that in the f Grounds of Criminal Petition, the all further proceedings in S. C. No. ior Civil Judge Cum Asst. Sessions W Judge, Ranga Reddy Dist, L.B. Nagar and the petitioner/Accused No disposal of the Crl. P. 4 pending This Petition coming on for hearing, upon perusing the Memorandum of Grounds of crinrinar petition and upon hearing the arguments of sri v.R. MACHAVARAM, Advocate for the petitioner and Sri JTTHENDER RAo VEERAMALLA, Additionar pubric prosecutor (TG) on beharf of the Respondent No.'l and NONE APPEARED for the Respondent No.2. The Court made the following: ORDER THE HONOURABLE SMT. JU TICE JUVVADI SRIDEVI CRIMINAL PETITIO No.6O8 of 2025 ORDER This Criminal Petition r fil<:ci undcr Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nyal,'a Sanhitha, 20i23 (for short 'BNSS') by the petitioncr-ac<'u scd No.4 o rlurash the proceedings against him in S.(l.No 5!r o{ '-20 1l l)on(ling on the hle of the learned Principarl Scrrior (livil .J tl:. r , rrnr-Assistant Sessions Judge, Rangaredcly District a LI3 Nagar. The offences alleged against the petitioncrs a <: under St-'ction 370(A)(2) of the Indian Penal Codc (lor short 'lPC') and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Tralfir: (l)rcver-rt on) Act, 1956 (for short'the Act')

02. Ilcard Sri V.lt.Nlach rvilram, learned counsel for petitioner and Sri ,.lithende r Rao Veeramalla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor lor tire Sta te-respondent No. 1 and perused thc rccord

03. In bricf. tl.rc casc of tlrl prosr:r:ution is that the Police, [{ayaLl.r naear }rolic c [:rliorr received credible inforrna.lion about runnirrg clf br rlhc-l hr-,use and raided the 2 premises at H.No.5-19O16, First Irloor, UTF.Coiony, Laxma Reddy Palem, Hayatl-rnagar and found thzrt accused No.1 was organizing brotlrr:l lt.-rus<: and pctitLon<:r i:ccused No.4 is e the customet ol l Itr: :.:rrl lrr.lri.lrc.l Ir<,,trsi:.

04. Lcat.n<:ci L:orrtrserl iirr ltclitior.re:r surbmitted that the woman who u,as found u,i1h tl-rc pctilioncr accused No.4 is not a trafhckcd worr1all and pctitioncr is nothing to do with the allegcd o[[r:.cc's. 'l'irr: i,grcrlicnts .f the offence under Section 370(,\l(2) ()i ll)(-. ancl Scci,ion:;3. 4 ancl 5 of the Act does rtol_ atl.i-,r(.i Lo rhc prcscnt r:erse on hand. Thereby, hr: pr;r.yr:d 1,.'l iluaslt t_hr: cr tmirral proceedings against the ltetil.ionr:rs

05. Lcar-necl Adrlitional public prosccutor for the State submitted l.hat 1.ht:r.c ai-c spr:cilic allt.gatio,s against the petitioner a,rl thr: 1.r-t.rLi-r ,i- olhe^visr. * ould come out only after condi,ri:tinq iLrll flrCgcrl tr-ial [t_r, tl-re concerned Court below and pr;r-r,crii r.) dtsrlLiss 1.1-ris (_r.iminal petition. J

06. In view of the abov facts and circumstances of the case, it is relevant to cxtract Lhc provlsion under Section 370 of IPC: by practtstng by abduction, o of a "37O. Trafficking the purposc o1' L'r 1l lrr I t:t transports, (c) hlt rbL> tl r-s, receives, a pcrsolr or PCrso Firstla- using threats, or usrng forcc, Secondl coerclon, or Thirdl Fourthl Fifthlu-- bv abur sc' ol Por'r't- b1 incluccrncrr t, Si-tthI receiving t.rl Pzr.Y rrtt tl LS ()t achieve the t;ousctl1 oI :rn over the person recrr-titt:d, transferred or rcceived, r: trafficking. Exp lanation I-- Thc e shall include anY act of any form of st:xu a I e practices sirnilar to slaiv forced removal ol tlt-qll n:1. Explanatio nL- - '['ht: tror immateriai in dctctt'rn i.nat trafficking. erson: (l )Whoever, ir-,;r (a) iccruits, (,ll t.ran sfcrs, or (b) (e) rs, l;t' or any other form of ud, or deception, or )l' rrr:jr-rd ing the giving or l,ercfit s, in order to p('r'sort having control ransported, harboured, nrmiLs thc offence of prcssion "exploitation" ll sicaI exploitation or loitation. slavery or r\. servittrclc, or the is,. r t ol t hc victim is (,ri ol the offence of I l2Jtilhoever comrrrllr, tl.re olFcncc of trafficking shall be punishcd u ilh rigorous imprisonmcnt for a term u,hich shall not be less than scven t.cars, but which may extend lo tcn years, and sl-rall also be liable to finc. /3lWhere the oll^cncc involves the trallicking ol lnore than on(_' lt( t.s;.)r-). rt shall be pr_rnishablc u,ith rigorous irl 1:lt'isr;r,tr,r-t1 for. :r lcrm rr.hich sha1l not be less than 1r:n .r.r'ar.s l;rit rr.i-rich rr-ta], cxtcnd lo imprisonmcnt lor lr f c, :u-rd shall also be liable to fine. (lfUhere rl.rc offcnc:e inr.olves the traflicking of a minor, it shall Lre pr-Lnishable ivith rigorous imprisonment for a term vrhicl-r shzrll not be less than tc| years, bu.t $,hich nlay cxtend to imprisonrncr-r t Irtr. lilc, ancJ shatll a1:;o be lia.ble to fine. /dlWhere thcr olicnr-r-. l-ivolr.<:s thc tral-ficking ol more thal clnc' rr-_ ir, r; , r, sltal.i l,,e pLrnisl-rable q,ith rigorous imprisonmr_.nL fbr a lerm rvhicl-r shall not be less than 1-ourtecn ycars, but u,hich m.LV extend to imprisonment lbr life, and shall also bc liable to hne. (6)If a person is con victcd of the offence of trafficking of rnirrcr on morc than onc occasion. then such pcrs(rrr shatl be punrsl-red lr,ith imprisonmort iir: lif c, ,,.r hich sh:rll mean imprisonmcnt lor rhc rr:rnainder ol that person,s natural lifr:, zrnd slrall also l:i: liable to fine. W l7[Nhen a public servant involved in thc traffickrn such public scrvant ()r punished with imprison m<; mean imPrisottmt'ttt i,r person's natural lilc, arrd I or a police officer is ol any person then, o licc olfir:er shall be I for liic, rvhich shall < r'cm a ir rde r of that sl r:rll also be liabie to fine . "

07. Section 370(-4) ol IP l eads as under: Ex loitation o at ck d pefspry or l-t ving rcason to believe liic l<ecl, cngages such [-IJWhoever, kn orvi rrgl-r that a minor hzrs bceLt [r minor for scxual e xpioitiiLto be punisheri u ith t i! r, iitr term u,hich shall not lrt' lt' which may cxl"cnd to scver be liable to fine. @,fWhoever, kr-rowingll' b5' believe that a person l'ras b such person for sexual manner, shall be pLln i imprisonmcrtt lor a LLrIil \\ than thrcc qq'.r s. lr..r' .'. h. years, and shall also br' ,itl-i, .r' trny ntanner, shall rrn1rr-is,rnment for a s i lr an live years, but r r,'a.rs, and shall also or havrng reason to t:n trafficked, engages expioitation in any hr:d rvitl-r rigorous r ii ir shali not be less i irav cxtcnd to five L,; l ir t<:

08. As per Scclions 137( person by using 'threat or force .tnd 370(A) of IPC, anY ary lbrm of coercion or abduction by practicing fraud or cception or by abusing of 6 power or b-y inrirrr:i.g r'.rr .rl-,, lrr-' lerrncd as a ,trafficked person'. In thc prcsrr ir i (.i1sc, (.von according to the prosecution, LW4-vicLinr statccl thal shc \ ras doing prostitution for the sake oj monev

09. Nou comirrg t_o Scctions 3. 4 and 5 of the Act, the provisions in clctail .r j rt cxt ractccl bclou,:

3. Punisft r7 en( .for keepi.ng q brothel or allouinq premi.ses to be used as q brothel. ( ])Any pcrsolt u,iro kcclts or ntanagcs, or acts or assists in the kccprng or tnanagcmcnL of, a brothel shall bc pr-Lr-rish:rble on first conviction r,r,ith rigorous imprisonmcnt for a Jerm of not less than one vcar and not rlor<: lhan threc 1.cars and also with finc wi-rich ;nay cxtr:nd to t_wo lhousand rupees and il l hr' (,vcn t of a seconci or subsr:quent convictior.t. rlit't r' ,r'r-r-. : ,npl.rsi)n't.-,1 frrr ,r tcrm of not iess than tu'o -v r_- l-s and not rnorc than lirrc years ancl ;rlso urith [ine rvhich mav exlend to tr.l,o thousand rupees. lQ)Any pcrson vt ho (g[being rhc Lcnar] l. lesscc. occupicr. or. person in charge of ern5, pre mises, uses, or knowingl,u- allovvs any other person to suc, such prcmrses or any part thcrcoI as a lri.othr:1. or ftfbeing the olr prr. lcssr,:- oT premiscs or the arqcni ol' suclt la.ndlord ol an\, o\\ ncr. lcssor or 1 landlord, icts thc sarnc the knou,lcdgc tl-iat Lllc:;irl intended [o be uscd as a party to thc use of such thereof as a brothel. Shall conviction wrth imPriso n may extend to two Ycars extend to two thousand ru a second or subsequcnt c< imprisonmer) t fol- i.i lcrirr \\ years and also rr'rt-h ftrlt' OI all-\ llar t l-trereof with (-- (it' an.\' part thereof is rorhcl, or is wilfully a pre m iscs or any part bc punishable on first enL for a.Lerm which d with fine which maY ees and in the event of nviction, u,ith rigorous rir:lr rra1, r'xtend to five lslNotu'ithsttrrtdiLrg -tnl l lr i other law for thc Lirnc L,irtn of any person relcrred Lo rn of sub-secliolr (2) ol irtrl o section in resPect o[ anY thereof, any lease or agreel premises havc bccn le a.sc occupied at thc timc of t offence, shall [,rtrcor-r. vo i(i effect from tlrc cllttt ol'!,r. s 4. Punishment fpr liuin prostitutioft. (7)Any person ovcr the agc knowingly lives. whol[1 rtr i of the prosLitution of a u' punishable with irnPrison may extend lo two .Years, o extend to onc thousallcl t'tt1l @p'lhcrc arl! P( l'sol) l- t,r-i)v (i rg i'o n [ain cd in any ir l() TC(), trn conviction claursc (a) or clause (b) dcr that sub- CIICC UN pre'rnises or arly pa-rt crrt undcr which such or-rt or ;tre held or t' c ommission of the rtrrrl itropcrative with Li.l llnvictior-i. otL the earninqs of ol cigh tecn years who part, on the earnings rnan or girl shall be cn t for a term which r,vrth finc which maY t s, or rvith both. B (g)to be living t,ith, or to be habitr-ralJy in the compall-y ol, :r 1;r-o:;r ii utr.: or. ft)to havc (:xcr::r;crl ,.orrtr.oi. cli-cction or influence over the ntovctlcr.ts r>l ar pr.ostiLr-rtc in such a manller zrs 1o s,Lr \1 1ir:lL surch pe rsorr is ariding, abetting or compcliilg hcr prosLitLltir>n; or lqfto bc a<:ting as a totrt or pirnp on bchalf of a prostitutc, it shall bc presumecl, until the contra{r is proved, that such pel.son is kno,,r,ingl.\. living on the earnings oI irrostitrrtion of anothcr person withir-r Ihl, rnliiitrirg c,l sub scclion (1):provided that no strc[, ]l-,:srtr,..lDl toj,r slriLll ltc dritrvn in thc case of a ion or. I i ,1 r.i 1g f1 [ r. :- ol ir- l:ro-st.]l.uLc. rf the son or daughtcr- is br.ic,' 1|.1r: :rgc o[ i:iglttgen r.ears. drtc t49_ ort 5. Procu for the s ostitution. AAny pcrson who (g;procures or att(.lnpts to procure a \\ oman or girl, u.hethcr- u'ith or- u,ithout her r:onscnt, for the purposo ol prostitution: or (&,finrluccs e \\ rlnt?)n or girl to go irom any place, with tl-re i1ll.()ni- ir.tili l;lrc tl:r-v for t5e ,urpose of proslituti()n l)c:{:r,,1-,1. t-ii, rnnrat,, pt. or frcqtrent, a brothel; or' /qftake s ot' attefilpl.s to takr: a woman or girl, or causes a womzln or girl to br: taken, lrom one place to another with a vir:w to her carrying olr. or being brought up to carrl on ltroslitution: or ft!,fcau se s or induccs a \ roman or girl to carry on prostilution; sl'rajl bc punishzrble on first oman or qirl 9 conviction with rigorous i of not less than one year years and also with fine u, prisorLmcnt for a term d not more than two ich may extend to two thousand rupees. [Zln the event of a s conviction of arn offen cc person shall be pu rl ls imprisonmcnt for a ternt ol' and not mt-rrc Lltatr ii\'() !c which may cxtend Lo tu'o tlr lQAn ollence under this sec (gln lhe place from rvirit; procured, induced to go, t taken or from q,hich an atl.e such woman or girl is merdc; @fin the place to it hich sh result of th<: indu<:cmctr i or or ca.uscd to bc '].i1kl'11 (il'ili.l made. cond or subsequent uncler this section a rzrb le rvith rigorous lot lcss than two years rs :i n t I ;rlso with fine usturd ru 1:ees. ior shall be triable- a vvoman or girl is l<cn or caused to be pt to procure or take m'a1' h avc gone aS a t o s,h ich she is taken i , .rrrllt Lo take her is

10. The Sections 3, 4 a d 5 ol the Act deals with regard to punishment for kcep g a brothel or allowing premises to be used as a brothcl punishment for living on the earnings of prostitution; p rr ishmcrrt for procuring, inducing or taking \f,,()malt () girl for the sake of prostitution. Thcrc is r,o rtlii;i:r (i. ) rgairsL the petitioner that he is mnning brot]-t<:I, ol trc i ; living on the earnings of 10 prostitution, or hc procrlrod girl for doing prostitution. In the present caso o1t harrd, as per the casc of prosecution, the sole allegat.ion ;rgainst petiti.n<:r-ncc u s<:cl No.4 is that he is the customc' I'l rr r.1tr.r', tr-rc rLlrcgati.n against thc petitior-rer does noL consi it Lrlc Lht: ollcnc<:s uncler Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Act. 1 I . As scr:n lrot i,r l_ltc cntirr: casc rccorcl, the victim joined brotl-rel h.usr: irrrrl givc'r rrr:r r.r,iriingness to do sex with the culstom<:rs. Iir:i.thcrrnorc, at thc stagc o[ filing of the FIR or durintl t.hr: r I rr..sc: irf i6..,cstigaticr1 or through the averments of tlrr: clr;rr r..( r.ir{ici. 1lt. I,olir:i: could not putforth any material lo suL,s; ani,intc thal. thc ltctitioner had knowledge andf or Llte rcason to bclieve thal. 1he woman was traflicked for tl-rc plrrpc)sc of prostitution. Therefore. the ingredients recluired fc-.r constituting thc offence under Section 370(A)(2) o1' IpC arc not rnaclr: out against the petitioner

12. In vic,,r, o1 t.hc above discussion ald having considered the facl tha.t the pctitioner_accuscd No.4 had no knowledge that thc \^/oinarr ra,as traf{icked for the purpose of V, 1 prostitution, this Ctlurt is ol l-re co n s iclc r-r:d view that the continuation of tho proccCr.l rgs irg.rirlst the petitioner- accused No.4 amounts to abus oi'process of law, therefore, the proceedings against the pc itiol cr-acclrsed No.4 is liable to be quashed

13. Accordingly, this rirni na [ ]'ctition is allowed and the proceedings against tl ' 1,cr ilior-rr:r'-accused No.4 in S.C.No.59 ol 2O')4 pcndirrl )rr r ,(' iilr of the learned Principal Senior Civil .ludgc c.r i . \:':ri:;l.ar)L SeSsions JUdge, Rangareddy District at I-13 Naga , arc hereby quashed. As a scqucl, pcnding rrr scillaneous applications, if any, shall stand closcd SD/.A.SREENIVASA REDDY ASSISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE CO Yil SECTION OFFICER To,

1. The XXIV Additional Metropolitan Magi ate, Cyberabad at Hayathnagar The Station House Officer, Hayathnaga Police Station, Rachakonda Dist Two CCs to the Public Prosecutor, Hig One CCs to R. Nirajan, S/o Not Known Fotice Statiqn Rania Reddy Dist, State f Telangana. [OPUCI One CC to SRl. V R MACHAVARAM Court at HYderabad. (OUT) etective lnsPector, HaYat Nagar vocate [OPUC] Two CD CoPies 2 \.) 4 5 b RC/psl HIGH COURT DATED: 2810112025 I ) o I o\. .t o^ 12 AUE 216 .r ((\'( v * ORDER CRLP.No.608 of 2025 THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS ALLOWED