THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO CRIMINAL PETITION No.2084 OF 2010 DATED 15th MARCH, 2011. BETWEEN : A.Shankaraiah & others .. Petitioners-A.2 to A.5 and The State of A.P. & another ..Respondents THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO CRIMINAL PETITION No.2084 OF 2010 ORDER: Petitioners-A.2 to A.5 approach this Court with a prayer to quash the proceedings in crime No.244 of 2009 of Amberpet Police Station, Hyderabad, registered for the offence punishable under Section 324 of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (1) (x) of SCs & STs (POA) Act (for short ‘the Act’). Heard. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits hat the petitioners also belong to Scheduled Tribe. Hence, the provisions of the Act do not attract against them. Thus, he prayed to quash the proceedings against the petitioners. This Court is of the view that the contention of the learned counsel is a matter to be investigated into by the investigation officer. Hence, the investigation officer is directed to collect the caste certificate to be produced by the petitioners and if the certificates disclose that the petitioners belong to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, he is at liberty to drop action against the petitioners for the offence under the Act and proceed against the petitioners as far as the other offence is concerned. If the petitioners apprehend arrest in the hands of the first respondent-Police, they are advised to move concerned Court for grant of anticipatory bail. On such application, the learned Sessions Judge shall consider the same on the facts and circumstances of the case. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is disposed of. Miscellaneous petitions filed in this Criminal Petition, if any, shall stand closed. ________________________ JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO Dated : 11.03.2011 sur