Girmagouni Srivani vs The State Of Telangana
2026 Latest Caselaw 629 Tel

Telangana High Court

Girmagouni Srivani vs The State Of Telangana on 10 April, 2026

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
                AT HYDERABAD

  THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J.SREENIVAS RAO

               CRIMINAL PETITION No.5380 of 2026

                         Date: 10.04.2026

Between:

Girmagouni Srivani
                                          ...Petitioner/accused No.4
                                  AND

The State of Telangana,
Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,
High Court for the State of Telangana,
through PS Gummadidala and another.
                                                     ...Respondents

                             ORDER

This Criminal Petition has been filed aggrieved by the

dismissal order passed by the I Additional District and Sessions

Judge at Sangareddy in Crl.M.P.No.252 of 2026 in

NDPS.SC.No.160 of 2025 (Crime No.231 of 2024 of P.S.

Gummadidala) seeking interim custody of the petitioner's vehicle

namely Volks Wagon car bearing registration No.TS-15-FP-3882.

2. Heard Mr. A. Venkata Narayana Reddy, learned counsel for

the petitioner, and Mr. Jithender Rao Veeramalla, learned

Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondents.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the

petitioner/accused No.4 is the owner of the Volks Wagon car

bearing registration No.TS-15-FP-3882 and the said vehicle was

seized by the Station House Officer, Gummadidala, in respect of

Crime No.231 of 2024 which was registered for the offence under

Section 8(c) read with 22(C) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and

Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short, "the NDPS Act") on

the alleged ground that accused No.4 being the owner of the

vehicle got knowledge that the contraband i.e., dry ganja has been

transporting in the said vehicle. He further submitted that the

petitioner has filed an application seeking release of the vehicle

before the learned I Additional District and Sessions Judge,

Sangareddy. However, the trial Court, without properly

considering the contentions raised by the petitioner, erroneously

dismissed the said application. The vehicle has been in the custody

of Station House Officer, Gummadidala Police Station, for the past

one year and half year. He further submitted that the petitioner is

ready and willing to abide by the conditions which are going to be

imposed by this Court. He further submitted that the petitioner is

using the vehicle for her personal use and unless the vehicle is

released, the petitioner will be put to great hardship.

4. Per contra, learned Additional Public Prosecutor submits

that the petitioner's vehicle was handed over by the Police before

the Drug Disposal Committee and later the vehicle was given for

interim safe custody to the Station House Officer, Gummadidala

Police Station, and the said vehicle was kept in the Police Station

premises. Thus, the petitioner is not entitled to seek interim

custody of the vehicle till disposal of the said case before the Trial

Court.

5. Having considered the rival submissions made by the

respective parties and after perusal of the record, it reveals that the

petitioner's vehicle was seized in respect of Crime No.231 of 2024

dated 31.12.2024 and since then, the vehicle is under the custody

of the Police of Gummadidala Police Station.

6. Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances

of the case, the impugned order passed by the I Additional District

and Sessions Judge at Sangareddy in Crl.M.P.No.252 of 2026 in

NDPS.SC.No.160 of 2025(Crime No.231 of 2024) is set aside and

this Court is inclined to grant interim custody of the petitioner's

vehicle namely Volks Wagon car bearing registration No.TS-15-

FP-3882, subject to the condition that the petitioner shall execute a

personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only)

with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the

learned I Additional District and Sessions Judge at Sangareddy and

also on her furnishing an undertaking that she shall not alienate the

vehicle, shall not change its physical features, till the disposal of

the proceedings, and she shall produce the vehicle as and when

required. Respondent No.2 shall write to the RTA authority not to

transfer the vehicle in favour of any third party till the disposal of

NDPS.SC.No.160 of 2025 (Crime No.231 of 2024 of P.S.

Gummadidala) on the file of the I Additional District and Sessions

Judge at Sangareddy.

7. Accordingly, the criminal petition is disposed of.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand

closed.

____________________________ JUSTICE J. SREENIVAS RAO 10.04.2026 Note: Issue C.C. in on week b/o. gnp