IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD TUESDAY, THE TWENTIETH DAY OF OCTOBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT: HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE P. SWAROOP REDDY CRIMINAL PETITION No.6428 OF 2009 Between: 1. K. Nivedan 2. U.R. Rajkondawar 3. Dr. A. Madhumohan 4. K. Adiseshu 5. P.V. Ramana Murthy 6. Smt. Sandhya Kar 7. M. Satyanarayana REddy 8. K.L. Vasudeva Rao 9. Anil Kumar Sachdev ……Petitioners AND The State of A.P., Rep. by the Public Prosecutor, High Court Buildings, Hyderabad & another .....Respondents HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE P. SWAROOP REDDY CRIMINAL PETITION No.6428 OF 2009 ORDER: This Criminal Petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is filed by the petitioners seeking to quash the proceedings against them in FIR No.347 of 2009 of Ramachandrapuram Police Station, Medak District, registered for the offences punishable under Clauses (viii), (ix), (x) of Section 3(1), Clause (VI) of Section 3(2) and Section 4 of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (hereinafter called as “the Act”). 2. Heard both sides. 3. A perusal of the complaint shows that all the allegations against the petitioners relate to discharge of their officials duties. The allegations are that in discharging the official duties, petitioners have not treated the de facto complainant equally and thereby caused mental agony and hardship to her. 4. In view of the nature of allegations against the petitioners, it is doubtful as to how the offences alleged against them would constitute. It prima facie looks to be a case of misuse of “the Act.” 5. In the circumstances, it is directed that investigation and consequential steps on the basis of result of the investigation shall go on but the petitioners shall not be arrested till filing of charge sheet, if any. In case charge sheet is filed, petitioners would be at liberty to challenge the same. 6. With the above directions, the Criminal Petition is disposed of. ______________________ P. SWAROOP REDDY, J October 20, 2009. PV