IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD TUESDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TEN PRESENT HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE G.V.SEETHAPATHY CRL.P.No.10746 OF 2010 Between:- Rajesh Singh …Petitioner/A-2 A n d The State of A.P., through Public Prosecutor, High Court of A.P., Hyderabad and another …Respondents HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE G.V.SEETHAPATHY CRL.P.No.10746 OF 2010 ORDER: This petition is filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C seeking quashing of further proceedings against petitioner/A-2 in Cr.No.1171 of 2010 of Prohibition and Excise Station, Dhoolpet, Hyderabad. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner/A-2 and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondent-State. Perused the records. 3. According to the prosecution, on 16-09-2010 at 03.10 p.m., on receipt of information, the premises of A-1 i.e., house bearing No.13-1-571/C/70, Baba Balkdas Mutt, Dhoolpet was raided and it was found that A-1 was brewing illicit liquor and on enquiry, A-1 disclosed that he purchased the jaggery used for brewing the illicit liquor from petitioner/A- 2. Accordingly, a case was registered against A-1 and also A-2 for the offences under Section 7(A) read with 8(e) of the A.P. Prohibition Act, 1995 and Sections 34(e), 13(1) (g) 41, 42(c), 34(2) & 50 of the A.P. Excise Act, 1968. 4. The petitioner seeks quashing of further proceedings against him on the ground that he was only a dealer of several items, including jaggery and he has nothing to do with the alleged brewing of illicit liquor by A- 1. 5. The learned counsel for the petitioner would seek to contend that the petitioner had no knowledge nor is he concerned with the purpose for which jaggery was purchased by A-1 and mere possession or sale of jaggery is no offence. 6. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor, on the other hand, would submit that the petitioner and his father have been indulging in regular supply of jaggery to various persons manufacturing ID liquor in Dhoolpet area, notorious for brewing of ID liquor and a number of cases were registered against the petitioner and his father for supplying the raw material viz., jaggery used in the manufacture of ID liquor. The petitioner’s father Rajan Singh filed batch of criminal petitions in Crl.P.No.10743, 10744, 10745, 10749, 10750 and 10751 of 2010 for quashing further proceedings against him in the respective crimes registered against him, pertaining to the same allegation. This Court, by common order dated 01- 11-2010, dismissed the above batch of petitions observing that the role of petitioner/A-2 therein and the contribution on his part towards facilitating commission of the offence and partaking thereof is yet to be investigated and when the investigation is at the threshold stage, the plea of petitioner/A-2 therein that he was only a vendor and nothing more cannot be countenanced, especially in the light of the fact that he was shown to be supplying jaggery to a number of manufacturers of ID liquor. 7. In the present case also, investigation is still pending and the role of petitioner/A-2 in the manufacture of ID liquor and the nature and extent of his nexus, if any, with the manufacturers of ID liquor is yet to be probed. At this threshold stage of investigation, it is too premature to countenance the plea of petitioner/A-2 that he is only a vendor of jaggery and nothing more. It is only after completion of investigation that his role, if any, as a collaborator or facilitator in the process of manufacture of ID liquor would come out. The reasons mentioned and observations made in the order dated 01-11-2010 in the above batch of cases pertaining to the petitioner’s father hold good in respect of the petitioner herein as well. 8. In the circumstances, it is considered neither just nor expedient to invoke the inherent powers of this Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C and thwart further investigation by quashing further proceedings against the petitioner/A-2 in Cr.No.1171 of 2010 of Prohibition and Excise Station, Dhoolpet. 9. In the result, the criminal petition is dismissed. ____________________ G.V.SEETHAPATHY, J 23rd November,2010 Lrkm.