THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.G.SHANKAR CRL.P.No.2455 OF 2009 ORDER The sole accused allegedly committed the offences under Sections 31(1)(b) and 36 ( c ) of the A.P. Excise Act, 1968 (for short ‘the Act’). Sri J.Prabhakar, learned counsel for the petitioner-accused inter alia contended that the petitioner possessed licence to maintain a godown. The licence is dated 26.03.2009 under which the petitioner was granted licence by the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise, Mahaboobabad (Town P.S), Warangal District to maintain a godown. It is urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the question of the petitioner violating the provisions of Sections 31 (1) (b) and 36 ( c ) of the Act would not arise. More important, the learned counsel drew my attention to Sections 52 and 56 of the Act. Section 52 of the Act empowers Excise Officials to enter the premises to investigate. It further provides that other police officers duly empowered also to enter and investigate offences relating to the manufacture and sale of excise goods. Section 56 of the Act grants power to the Prohibition and Excise Officials to investigate in respect of some of the offences under the Act. Curiously, the complaint in the present case was lodged and investigation was conducted by the Station House Officer, Mahaboobabad Police Station. It is not the case of anybody that the police officials were granted powers under Sections 52 and 56 of the Act to deal with the excise offences. The officers of the Prohibition and Excise Department alone are entitled to deal with the excise offences. The offences alleged against the petitioner are under Sections 31 (1) (b) and 36 ( c ) of the Act and where the crime was registered by Mahaboobabad Police Station, which is not an excise police station, prima facie, the complaint is not maintainable and cannot be entertained. Consequently, the First Information Report laid by the Mahaboobabad Police Station in Cr.No.45 of 2009 is not maintainable and is hereby quashed. Consequently, the criminal petition is allowed. ________________ K.G.SHANKAR,J rkk Dated: 23-11-2011