THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE V. ESWARAIAH WRIT PETITION No.16173 OF 2006 DATED: 20-03-2007 BETWEEN S. Venkat Reddy, S/o. S. Narayan Reddy, Occ: Agriculture, R/o. Koheda Village, Hayathnagar Mandal, Ranga Reddy District and others. …PETITIONERS AND State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by Secretary of Home, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad and others. …RESPONDENTS ORDER: The grievance of the petitioners is that their complaint dated 22.05.2006 has not been received and no case has been registered though allegations have been made against the offenders stating that they have committed cognizable offence. 2. It is the case of the respondents that as the said complaint had not been received; the question of registering a case did not arise. However, it is stated that the petitioners filed a private complaint under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which was referred to the police, based on which a case in Cr.No.131 of 2005 under Sections 120(B), 307, 352, 451, 453, 454, 458 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 had been registered by the third respondent and the investigation is still pending. 3. If that be so, I am of the opinion that once a case has been registered, the police cannot keep it pending for years together without completing the investigation and without filing an appropriate final report/charge sheet before the concerned criminal Court. 4. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, the third respondent is directed to complete the investigation and file an appropriate final report/charge sheet before the appropriate Court as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within a period of eight (8) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. ______________ V. ESWARAIAH, J March 20, 2007 DSK