CRLP/9432/2026 of Gulam Moinuddin, Vs The State of Telangana., Rep. by ACB, Karimnagar Range, on 8 July 2026

O R D E R

This Criminal Petition is filed before this Court for grant of bail to the Petitioner who is arrayed as accused in FIR No.10/RCT- ACB-KNR/2026 of ACB Karimnagar Police Station, Karimnagar District, registered for the offence punishable under Section 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

2. The case of the prosecution is that the de-facto complainant lodged a report before the police stating that he had applied for permission to cut 120 teak trees in the office of the Jagtial District Forest Officer on 18-04-2026. For this purpose, an amount of

Rs.60,000/- in respect of teak trees. After examining the records, the District Forest Officer, Jagityala, on 22.04.2026, granted permission for the felling of 120 teak trees. After that, he applied for timber transportation and sales. However, petitioner/accused officer, Forest Range Officer, did not send the complainant’s file to the District Forest Officer, Jagityala, and to issue transport permits, he demanded of Rs.1,00,000/- to be given to the District Forest Officer, Jagityala and Rs.1,00,000/- to himself. For this, on 13.05.2026, complainant gave Rs.1,00,000/- in cash to the petitioner herein, Forest Range Officer, Kodimyala. After complainant gave a bribe of Rs.1,00,000/- to Ghulam Moinuddin FRO, then he gave him a transport permission. Later on 25.05.2026, the petitioner/accused officer FRO called to complainant and asked him about the remaining Rs.1,00,000/- that was to be given to him as bribe and he recorded this conversation on the phone and asked to give it. But complainant did not want to give the bribe money, therefore the complainant approached police and gave complaint on the petitioner/accused, later, with a preplan to catch the petitioner/accused officer, the complainant trapped him and caught the petitioner/accused with Rs.80,000/- cash in the office draw. Hence, the complainant requested to take necessary action. Basing on the said complaint, the police registered a case for the above said offence.

3. Heard Sri Vanaparthi Vaishali, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner as well as Sri T. Bala Mohan Reddy, learned Standing counsel for ACB appearing for the respondent.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that no such permission is pending before the accused officer and there is no such amount received by the petitioner herein and he is in jail since 05.06.2026 and the material part of the investigation was already completed and the petitioner herein is ready to cooperate with the investigating authority. Therefore, he prayed the Court to grant bail to him by allowing this criminal petition.

5. On the other hand, the learned Standing Counsel for the ACB filed a counter denying the averments made by the petitioner and opposed the bail petition, contending that the allegations against the petitioner are serious in nature. He further submitted that the investigation is still in progress. However, he informed the Court that the statements of the complainant and the witnesses have already been recorded under Section 183 of the BNSS. Therefore, he prayed for dismissal of the Criminal Petition.

6. Having considered the submissions made by both sides and upon perusal of the material available on record, it is evident that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 05.06.2026. It also appears that the material part of the investigation has already been completed and the statements of the complainant and the witnesses have been recorded under Section 183 of the BNSS. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of the allegations, the stage of investigation, the period of incarceration of the petitioner, this Court finds it appropriate to grant bail to the petitioner, subject to the following conditions: i. The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only), with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the learned Special Judge for Trial of SPE & ACB Cases, Karimnagar. ii. The petitioner shall appear before the concerned SHO at 11:00 a.m., on every Monday for a period of eight (8) weeks or till filing of charge sheet whichever is earlier, for the purpose of investigation, and thereafter, as and when required. iii. The petitioner shall abide by the conditions stipulated in Section 437(3) of Cr.P.C. (presently, Section 480(3) of the BNSS).

7. Accordingly, the Criminal petition is allowed.

Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed. _______________ K. SUJANA, J Date: 08.07.2026 TU

THE HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE K. SUJANA

CRIMINAL PETITION No.9432 OF 2026 DATE 08.07.2026

TU