P Ramachandra Raju vs The State Of Telangana
2026 Latest Caselaw 45 Tel

Telangana High Court

P Ramachandra Raju vs The State Of Telangana on 25 March, 2026

     IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
                     AT HYDERABAD
      THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J.SREENIVAS RAO
               CRIMINAL PETITION No.4295 of 2026
                            Date: 25.03.2026
Between:
P. Ramachandra Raju
                                                              ...Petitioner
                                  AND
The State of Telangana,
Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,
High Court of Telangana, Hyderabad and another
                                                          ...Respondents.
                          COMMON ORDER

This Criminal Petition is filed by the petitioner, questioning the

orders dated 23.02.2026, passed by the learned Special Judge for Trial

of Offences under SCs and STs (POA) Act-cum-VI Additional Sessions

Judge, at Secunderabad, in Crl.M.P.No.401 of 2026 in Crl.M.P.No.2453

of 2025 in Crl.A.No.654 of 2025 in C.C.No.664 of 2018, on the ground

that the Sessions Judge imposed an onerous condition.

2. Heard Mr. N.C. Das, learned counsel for the petitioner and

Mr.Jithender Rao Veeramalla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for

respondent No.1.

3. With the consent of both the learned counsel, the criminal petition

is disposed of at the admission stage.

4. Notice in respect of respondent No.2 is dispensed with, on the

ground that the petitioner has filed the present criminal petition only

challenging the imposition of the condition to deposit 20% of the

compensation amount, and no relief is sought against respondent No.2.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the learned trial

Court sentenced the petitioner to undergo simple imprisonment for a

period of one year and to pay fine of Rs.72,00,000/-, in default of which,

to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of three months, for the

offence under Sections 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (for

short 'NI Act'). Aggrieved thereby, the petitioner preferred an appeal

before the learned Sessions Judge, who, while suspending the sentence

imposed by the trial Court, imposed a condition directing the petitioner

to deposit 20% of the compensation amount under Section 148 of the NI

Act.

6. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that, in similar

circumstances, this Court by placing reliance upon the principle laid

down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Sanjabij Tari v. Kishore

S. Borcar 1, has reduced the compensation amount from 20% to 10%.

2025 SCC OnLine SC 2069

7. Taking into consideration the submissions made by the respective

parties and the principle laid down by Hon'ble Supreme Court in

Sanjabij Tari (supra), the impugned order dated 23.02.2026 passed by

the learned I Special Judge for Trial of Offences under SCs and STs

(POA) Act-cum-VI Additional Sessions Judge, at Secunderabad, in

Crl.M.P.No.401 of 2026 in Crl.M.P.No.2453 of 2025 in Crl.A.No.654

of 2025 in C.C.No.664 of 2018 is modified, directing the petitioner to

deposit 10% of the compensation amount within a period of six (06)

weeks from today. In default of depositing the said amount within the

stipulated period, the learned Sessions Judge is entitled to proceed with

the matter in accordance with law.

8. Accordingly, the criminal petition is disposed of.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand

closed.

____________________________ JUSTICE J. SREENIVAS RAO

Date: 25.03.2026 Note: Issue C.C. in a week B/o gnp