THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE G.V.SEETHAPATHY CRIMINAL PETITION No.5567 of 2010 ORDER: This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing further proceedings in Crime No.95 of 2010 of Kothakota P.S., Mahaboobnagar District. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondent-State. Perused the record. On a complaint given by the 2nd respondent-Mandal Agricultural Officer, the police registered a case in Crime No.95 of 2010 against the petitioners/A2 and A3 and another, for the offences under Sections 420 and 506 IPC. According to the complainant, there has been a reliable information against the petitioners to the effect that the petitioners have been selling the fertilizers at higher rates than the MRP, and they were refusing to issue regular bills and were creating artificial scarcity of fertilizers and making the ryots buy unnecessary pesticides by force, and that when the complainant and other officials were proceeding to the shops of the petitioners for the purpose of enquiry, the petitioners, on coming to know of the impending visit of the officials, closed their shops and became scarce and, on local enquiry with the neighbours and ryots, it was found that the petitioners were in fact indulging in the above said illegal and irregular activities in the course of their trade in fertilizers and pesticides. Having regard to the nature of the allegations contained in the report filed by the 2nd respondent, a responsible official of the Agriculture Department, it is considered not a fit case where further investigation can be thwarted by invoking the inherent powers of the Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C., as the truth or otherwise of the said allegations has to come out only after due investigation. Such allegations involving the alleged commission of offences in the matter of sale of fertilizers and pesticides to the farmers has to be necessarily investigated in the interests of the farming community, so as to protract them from any mischief, cheating or fraud on the part of the dealers and retailers of fertilizers and pesticides. There are absolutely no valid or sufficient grounds to invoke the inherent powers of the Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C., and quash further proceedings in FIR in Crime No.95 of 2010 of Kothakota P.S. However, the petitioners may not be arrested till completion of the investigation. In the result, subject to the above direction, the criminal petition is dismissed. _______________________ G.V.SEETHAPATHY, J 20th October, 2011 KSM