MEDARI WILSON RAJU Vs. STATE OF A P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking quashing of the proceedings against the petitioner/accused in C.C. No. 206 of 2011 on the file of the II Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate, Khammam, Khammam District. A charge sheet came to be filed against the petitioner for the offences punishable under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. The allegations in the charge sheet would disclose that the marriage of the petitioner with the informant took place on 12.02.2010. At the time of marriage, the parents of the informant gave Rs. 2,00,000/- cash, two tulas gold and other house hold articles as dowry. After marriage, both of them lead a happy marital life for a period of two months and thereafter, the petitioner started harassing the informant to get additional dowry from her parents. A panchayat was held in the presence of Thadikela Babu Rao and Banoth Ramudu, wherein the petitioner was warned not to harass the informant. But the petitioner did not change his attitude and continued his harassment, due to which, the informant left the accused and started staying with her parents. Though mediations took place, there was no change in the attitude of the petitioner. Thereafter, LW3 was sent to the house of the petitioner for convincing him, but the petitioner is alleged to have demanded the informant to come to his house only with the demanded amount. Basing on these allegations, a case in Cr. No. 21 of 2011 of Khanapuram Police Station, Khammam District came to be registered against the petitioner. The police investigated into the case and filed a charge sheet, which is subject matter of challenge in the present petition.

(2.) Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, learned Additional Public Prosecutor representing the 1st respondent-State and the learned counsel appearing for the 2nd respondent.

(3.) The learned counsel for the petitioner mainly submits that even accepting the allegations as levelled in the charge sheet to be true, no offence is made out against the accused. According to him, except the statement of the victim, there is no direct evidence connecting the petitioner with the crime. The statements of LWs. 5 to 9 are only hearsay and the same does not in any way inculpate the petitioner with the crime.