MEGAVATH VENKATESH NAIK Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Petition is filed under Ss. 437 and 439 of Criminal Procedure Code ('Cr.P.C.' in short), seeking bail, by the petitioners/A-1 and A-4, in Crime No.111 of 2022 of Chagalamarri Police Station, Kurnool District, registered for the offence punishable under Ss. 379, 353, 307,120B, 109 read with Sec. 149 of the Indian Penal Code, Sec. 51 of Wild Life Protection Act, Sec. 3(1) of Red Sandal, Sec. 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1985 and Sec. 20(1) D(i)(a)(b), Sec. 20(1)(c)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x) and Sec. 29(1)(4)(a)i(a) (b) of A.P.Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016.

(2.) The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 13/6/2022, near Rekula bridge, at the outskirts of Chinna Vangalli village, Chagalamarri Mandal, the police conducted raids on the smugglers of Red Sandal wood and found that the petitioners/A1 and A4 and other accused were trying to transport red sandal wood by cutting trees and they were arrested and also seized 7 red sandal logs weighing 163 K.Gs., mobile phones and cash and the petitioners/A1 and A4 and other accused confessed to have committed the offence. Hence, the above crime was registered.

(3.) Heard Sri K.Rathanga Pani Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioners/A-1 and A-4, and Sri Sravan Kumar Naidana, learned Special Assistant Public Prosecutor for the respondent-State.