THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO CRIMINAL PETITION No.10525 of 2011 ORDER: Petitioner-Accused approaches this Court with a prayer to quash the proceedings initiated against him in O.R. No. 55 of 2011-12 on the file of the Forest Range Officer, Satyavedu, for offences punishable under Sections 20(1)(c)(ii), (ii), 20(i)(d)(i) and (x) of A.P. Forest Act, 1967; Section 29(4)(a)(i) and Rule 3 of A.P. Red Sanders and Sandalwood Transmit Rules, 1969 and 29 of Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. It is the case of the petitioner that some of the persons who were in possession of red sanders were arrested by the respondent-police on 18.8.2011 and some properties were also recovered from them. The present petitioner is not arrayed as an accused in the First Information Report and also in the confessional statement recorded by the Officer in connection with the aforesaid crime. Further in the remand report also, nowhere it is stated that the petitioner was also involved in the crime and hence he prays to quash the proceedings. Having perused the material on record, this Court is of the view that nearly after two months after the registration of the case, now the petitioner apprehends arrest in the hands of the respondent-police, without any basis and prays to quash the F.I.R. and the same cannot be a ground to quash the proceedings. But at the same time, considering the fact that the petitioner’s name till the registration of the case has not been shown as accused either in the remand report or in the confessional statement, the respondent-police can proceed with the investigation of the case without making arrest of the petitioner and file final report either way, after completion of the investigation. Further the petitioner is directed to appear before the official concerned for a period of 15 days. The Criminal Petition is accordingly disposed of. ____________________ JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO Dated :1.11.2011 pnb