Supreme Court – Daily Orders
Dr. Suneetha Narreddy vs D.Siva Shankar Reddy on 19 August, 2025
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.3597 OF 2025 (@ SLP(CRL.) No.16295/2024) NARREDDY RAJASEKHARA REDDY & ANR. APPELLANT(S) VERSUS THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH & ANR. RESPONDENT(S) O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. The two appellants were arrayed as accused Nos.2 and
3, pursuant to the order passed by the Judicial
Magistrate under Section 156(3) of the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, ‘the Cr.P.C.’)
whereby the local police was directed to register
the First Information Report (for short, ‘the FIR’)
for the offences punishable under Sections 352, 323,
330, 342, 345, 348, 506, 195-A, 166A(b) and 109 of
the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Accordingly, the FIR
was registered by the police against the appellants
Signature Not Verified
and the Investigating Officer of CBI (for short,
Digitally signed by
SWETA BALODI
Date: 2025.08.21
16:53:28 IST
Reason: ‘the I.O.’). The appellants seek to challenge the
1
same on the premise that, without any material, they
have been arrayed as accused along with the I.O.,
who was arrayed as accused No.1 (for short, ‘A-1’).
3. The learned Senior counsel appearing for the
appellants would submit that the private respondent
before us ought to have been arrayed as an accused.
This is nothing but an attempt to hamper further
investigation. In the absence of any material to
show that the I.O. had acted against the private
respondent at the instance of the appellants, the
proceedings are liable to be quashed.
4. Per contra, the learned counsel appearing for the
private respondent would submit that the High Court
has rightly held that there is no need for sanction
qua A-1 as the allegations against him constitute an
act which falls outside the discharge of his
official duty as the I.O. The power under Section
156(3) of the Cr.P.C. has been duly exercised by the
Magistrate in accordance with law. In such view of
the matter, there is no need for any interference.
5. The learned Senior counsel appearing for the State
submitted that a closure report has been filed after
investigation and, therefore, no further orders are
required to be passed.
2
6. We find that it is a fit case where the proceedings
are liable to be quashed. We do not find any iota of
material to implicate the appellants vis-a-vis the
I.O. The power under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C.,
being a judicial power, has to be exercised by
conscious application of mind, especially, when an
allegation is made against the I.O. Secondly, there
is no material to connect the appellants with the
I.O. This is nothing but an abuse of process of
law. Continuation of the said proceedings against
the appellant and the I.O., by allowing the Trial
Court to consider the closure report, shall not be
permitted. Thus, notwithstanding the closure report
filed, which in our considered view, has been
rightly done so, we do not want to give any room for
further proceedings.
7. In such view of the matter, the impugned order
stands set aside. The appeal is allowed,
accordingly. All further proceedings against the
appellants and the I.O, who was also arrayed as an
accused, stand quashed.
8. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed
of.
3
……………………………………………………………………J.
[M.M. SUNDRESH]
………………………………………………………………………J.
[NONGMEIKAPAM KOTISWAR SINGH]
NEW DELHI;
19th AUGUST, 2025
4
ITEM NO.4 COURT NO.4 SECTION II
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No(s).
4448/2024
[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated
11-03-2024 in CRP No. 11606/2023 passed by the High Court
for The State of Telangana at Hyderabad]
DR. SUNEETHA NARREDDY Petitioner(s)
VERSUS
D.SIVA SHANKAR REDDY & ANR. Respondent(s)
IA No. 74846/2024 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No. 74847/2024 – EXEMPTION FROM
FILING O.T., IA No. 154637/2024 – PERMISSION TO FILE
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES, IA No. 106967/2025
– PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
IA No. 260340/2024 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
WITH
SLP(Crl) No. 16296/2024 (II)
IA No. 255480/2024 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
IA No. 106854/2025 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
SLP(Crl) No. 16817/2024 (II)
SLP(Crl) No. 17367/2024 (II)
IA No. 272552/2024 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
SLP(Crl) No. 5828/2025 (II)
IA No. 84912/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT
SLP(Crl) No. 5829/2025 (II)
IA No. 87292/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
SLP(Crl.) No. 16295/2024(II)
IA No. 108985/2025 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
5
IA No. 75069/2025 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
SLP(Crl) No. 7007/2025 (II)
IA No. 103040/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT
SLP(Crl) No. 6294/2023 (II)
IA No. 100353/2023 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
MA 1285/2023 in Crl.A. No. 1251/2023 (II)
IA No. 263604/2024 – APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION
IA No. 100224/2023 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION
SLP(Crl) No. 6912/2023 (II)
IA No. 108971/2023 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No. 108974/2023 – EXEMPTION FROM
FILING O.T.
SLP(Crl) No. 7449/2023 (II)
IA No. 114751/2023 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No. 13053/2024 – EXEMPTION FROM
FILING O.T., IA No. 124444/2023 – PERMISSION TO FILE
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
IA No. 116591/2023 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
IA No. 246412/2024 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
IA No. 13052/2024 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES
SLP(Crl) No. 11216/2025 (II)
IA No. 166952/2025 – CONDONATION OF DELAY IN FILING
IA No. 166954/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
SLP(Crl) No. 11217/2025 (II)
FOR ADMISSION and I.R.
IA No. 174144/2025 – CONDONATION OF DELAY IN FILING
IA No. 174143/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
SLP(Crl) No. 12297/2025 (II)
FOR ADMISSION and I.R.
IA No. 177467/2025 – CONDONATION OF DELAY IN FILING
IA No. 177468/2025 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT
Date : 19-08-2025 These matters were called on for
hearing today.
6
CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M. SUNDRESH
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE NONGMEIKAPAM KOTISWAR SINGH
For Petitioner(s) Mr. D.S. Naidu, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Aftab Ali Khan, AOR
Mr. Asho. K. Singh, Adv.
Ms. Ankita Baluni, Adv.
Ms. Samridhi Singh, Adv.
Ms. Aanchal Bindal, Adv.
Mr. Sidharth Luthra, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Jesal Wahi, AOR
Ms. Madhusruthi Neelakatan, Adv.
Mr. R. Venkataramani, AG (not present)
Mr. Rajkumar Bhaskar Thakare, A.S.G.
Mr. Tushar Mehta, SG (not present)
Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR
Ms. Rukhmini Bobde, Adv.
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Dubey, Adv.
Mr. Gaurang Bhushan, Adv.
Mr. B K Satija, Adv.
Mr. Zoheb Hossain, Adv.
Ms. Adya Jha, Adv.
Mr. Annam Venkatesh, Adv.
Mr. Rajeshwari Shankar, Adv.
Mr. Rishikeash Haridas, Adv.
Mr. Chitvan Singhal, Adv.
Mr. Raman Yadav, Adv.
Mr. Abhishek Kumar Pandey, Adv.
Mr. Kartikey Aggarwal, Adv.
Ms. Ameyavikrama Thanvi, Adv.
For Respondent(s) Mr. Ranjith Kumar, Sr. Adv.
Mr. S Nagamuthu, Sr. Adv.
Mr. S Sriram, Sr. Adv. (not present)
Mr. Ananga Bhattacharyya, Adv.
Ms. Devahuti Tamuli, Adv.
For M/S. Veritas Legis, AOR
Mr. Ranjit Kumar, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Mukund P. Unny, AOR
Mr. Sanjay Nair S, Adv.
Mr. D.S. Naidu, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Aftab Ali Khan, AOR
Mr. Ashok. K. Singh, Adv.
7
Ms. Samridhi Singh, Adv.
Mr. Deepak Kumar, Adv.
Mr. Huzefa Ahmadi, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Shubhranshu Padhi, AOR
Mr. D. Girish Kumar, Adv.
Mr. Jay Nirupam, Adv.
Mr. Pranav Giri, Adv.
Mr. Ekansh Sisodia, Adv.
Ms. Rashmi Singh, Adv.
Mr. Anupam Lal Das,Sr.Adv.(not present)
Ms. Anjana Prakash, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Ashutosh Dubey, Adv.
Mrs. Rajshri Dubey, Adv.
Mr. Abhishek Chauhan, Adv.
Mr. Amit P Shahi, Adv.
Ms. Chanda Trikha, Adv.
Mr. Rajendra Anbhule, Adv.
Mr. Anjan Datta, Adv.
Mr. Sumant Khan, Adv.
Mrs. Sona Khan, Adv.
Mr. Sidharth Luthra, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Jesal Wahi, AOR
Ms. Madhusruthi Neelakatan, Adv.
Mr. Suryapraksh V Raju, A.S.G.
Mr. K M Nataraj, A.S.G.
Mrs. Ruchi Kohli, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR
Mr. Zoheb Hussain, Adv.
Mr. Anuj Srinivas Udupa, Adv.
Mr. Annam Venkatesh, Adv.
Mr. P V Yogeswaran, Adv.
Mr. Navin Kumar, Adv.
Mr. Madhav Sinhal, Adv.
Mr. Hitarth Raja, Adv.
Mr. Santosh Kumar, Adv.
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the
following
O R D E R
8
SLP(CRL.) No.16295/2024:
Leave granted.
The appeal is allowed in terms of the signed
order.
Pending application(s), if any, shall stand
disposed of.
SLP(Crl.) No.6912/2023:
We have heard the learned senior counsel
appearing appearing for the petitioner – accused No.1.
The petitioner has been under incarceration for
more than 2½ years.
Taking into consideration the fact that all the
co-accused have been granted bail, coupled with the
period of incarceration, we are inclined to grant interim
bail to the petitioner.
Accordingly, the petitioner is to be released
on bail, subject to the terms and conditions that may be
imposed by the Trial Court till the final order is passed
in this petition.
SLP(Crl) No.4448/2024, SLP(Crl) No. 16296/2024, SLP(Crl)
No. 16817/2024, SLP(Crl) No. 17367/2024, SLP(Crl) No.
5828/2025, SLP(Crl) No. 5829/2025, SLP(Crl) No.
7007/2025, SLP(Crl) No. 6294/2023, MA 1285/2023 in Crl.A.
No. 1251/2023, SLP(Crl) No. 7449/2023, SLP(Crl) No.9
11216/2025, SLP(Crl) No. 11217/2025, SLP(Crl) No.
12297/2025 & SLP(Crl.) No.6912/2023:
On a query as to whether the CBI being the
Investigating Agency would like to file an application
seeking permission for further investigation, Mr. S.V.
Raju, learned Additional Solicitor General seeks further
time to get appropriate instructions to apprise the
Court.
In the event of a decision being made to take
steps for further investigation, appropriate application
will have to be filed within a period of two weeks after
getting instructions in this regard. Liberty is given
to the respondents to file their responses.
Mr. Siddharth Luthra, learned senior counsel
appearing for the petitioner is also permitted to file
additional documents.
List the matters on 09.09.2025 at 2.00 PM.
(SWETA BALODI) (POONAM VAID) ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
(Signed order is placed on the file)
10