Andhra Pradesh High Court
CRLP/2454/2026 of Sri Badhagoni Sanjeevaiah Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh on 6 April 2026
HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3396] TUESDAY, THE SEVENTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2454/2026 Between: 1. SRI BADHAGONI SANJEEVAIAH, C/O LAXMAIAH
APHC010162062026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
AT AMARAVATI
(Special Original Jurisdiction)
TUESDAY, THE SEVENTH DAY OF APRIL
TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA
CRIMINAL PETITION NO: 2454/2026
Between:
1. SRI
BADHAGONI
SANJEEVAIAH,
C/O
LAXMAIAH
BADHAGONI,AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS,OCCUPATION CVR NEWS
CHANNEL
INPUT
EDITORR/O
3-80/A,
BADANGPET,
BALAPUR,RANGAREDDY DISTRICT, TELANGANA - 500 058.
2. KARROTU DEVI, D/O KARROTHU SRINIVAS,AGED ABOUT 24
YEARS.OCCUPATION
CVR
NEWS
CHANNEL
STAFF
REPORTERR/O
12-6-1/A,
LAXMIGANAPATHI
COLONY,PHOOL
BAUGH, VIZIANAGARAM,ANDHRA PRADESH - 535 002.
3. KONATHALA MEENAKSHI ALIAS K MEENA, W/O KONATHALA
VENU GOPAL,AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS,OCCUPATION CVR NEWS
CHANNEL 2 REPORTER,R/O 58-24-64/1, GAVARA VEEDHI,NEAR
POST
OFFICE,
BUTCHIRAJUPALEM,GOPALAPATNAM,
VISAKHAPATNAM,ANDHRA PRADESH - 530 027.
4. MYLAPALLI SURESH KUMAR, A5,S/O MYLAPALLI VEERAPPADU
LATE.AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS.OCCUPATION CVR NEWS CHANNEL
STOP CAMERAMAN,R/O 55-6-48, AMBEDKAR COLONY,NEAR
VETERINARY HOSPITAL, OLD VENKOJIPALEM,VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 530 022.
5. VARADA
SRINIVASA
RAO,
S/O
VARADA
VENKATESWARA
RAO,AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS.OCCUPATION CVR NEWS CHANNEL
REPORTER,R/O H NO. 12-48, BELLA STREET,CHODAVARAM, CHODAVARAM MANDAL,VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 531 036.
6. SRI MUMMAREDDY VENKATESWARLU, S/O RAMARAO,AGED
ABOUT
CVR
NEWS
CHANNEL
REPORTER,R/O
3-1812,
SARADANAGAR,BALIGHATTAM,
VISAKHAPATNAM,ANDHRA PRADESH - 531 116.
7. SRI KORIBILLI GANESH, S/O KORIBILLI APPA RAO LATE.AGED
ABOUT
CVR
NEWS
CHANNEL
REPORTER,R/O H. NO. 14-26-2/2, NEELAKANTA RAO,NEARMGH
HIGH SCHOOL,GAVARAPALEM, ANAKAPALLE,VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 531 002.
8. GOMPA SRINU MANOJ, S/O GOMPA BABU RAO,AGED ABOUT 41
YEARS.OCCUPATION CVR NEWS CHANNEL REPORTER,R/O 12- 53-4, INDIRA
COLONY,NEAR
NOOKAMBIKA
TEMPLE,
GAJUWAKAVISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 530 026.
...PETITIONER/ACCUSED(S)
AND
1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PUBLIC
PROSECUTOR,HIGH
COURT
OF
ANDHRA
PRADESHAT
AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT.
2. M RAJASEKHAR REDDY, S/O M. VENKATA REDDY,AGED ABOUT
47 YEARS. OCCUPATION BUSINESS,R/O KORISAPADU VILLAGE
AND MANDAL,ONGOLE, PRAKASAM DISTRICT.
...RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT(S):
Counsel for the Petitioner/accused(S):
1. VENKAT CHALASANI
Counsel for the Respondent/complainant(S):
1. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
The Court made the following:
Citations and Judicial Treatment
Cited by
0
Decisions in the index citing it
Cites
2
Decisions referred to
In this index
1
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Overruled / Questioned
0
No negative treatment found
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ORDER:
The instant Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, by the Petitioners / Accused Nos.2 to 9 seeking anticipatory bail in connection with Crime No.7 of 2026 on the file of III Town Police Station, Visakhapatnam Commissionerate for the offences under Sections 126(2), 308(2) and 351(1) read with 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
2. Sri Venkat Chalasani, learned counsel for the Petitioners would submit that the Petitioners herein are Journalists and are discharging their professional duty of reporting matters concerning the public. It is further submitted that no money has been paid by the De facto complainant to the Petitioners. Learned counsel would further submit that a Coordinate Bench of this Court vide Order dated 28.01.2026 in Crl.P.No.572 of 2026 granted protection to Accused No.1 directing the Police to follow the procedure contemplated under Section 35(3) of BNSS and the same protection may be given to the present Petitioners also.
3. Ms.K.Priyanka Lakshmi, learned Public Prosecutor fairly conceded the same and would submit that the Court may pass appropriate orders.
4. Considering the submissions, this Criminal Petition is disposed of with the following;
a. Investigating Officer is at liberty to complete the investigation, in accordance with law.
b. In the event of any coercive action sought to be taken against the Petitioners, concerned Police Authorities are directed to scrupulously follow the procedure prescribed under Section 35(3) of BNSS and the guidelines laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar1, which is reiterated in in Satender Kumar Antil vs. CBI and another2.
c. Petitioners shall cooperate with the investigation and furnish information / material documents whatever available / required to the investigating agency.
Pending applications, if any, shall stands closed. ________________________________________ Dr.JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA Date:07.04.2026 Note: Issue C.C today B/o. Dinesh
2 2026 INSC 115
HON’BLE DR. JUSTICE VENKATA JYOTHIRMAI PRATAPA
Crl.P.No.2454 of 2026
Dt.07.04.2026
Dinesh