THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION No.29178 of 2009 Date:31.12.2009 Between: D.Boddu Mahendra. ..... PETITIONER AND Government of Andhra Pradesh and others. .....RESPONDENTS THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION No.29178 of 2009 ORDER: This writ petition is filed seeking to declare the inaction of the fifth respondent in apprehending the accused and investigating into the Crime No.64 of 2009 dated 01.05.2009 on the file of the Jaladanki Police Station, Nellore District, as illegal and arbitrary. According to the petitioner, he along with others lodged a complaint before the fifth respondent on 30.04.2009 against sixteen persons, who are of forward caste people, under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (‘the Act’ for short) and it has been registered as Crime No.64 of 2009 for the offences punishable under Sections 290 and 506 I.P.C. and Section 3(1)(x) under the Act. However, the investigation has not yet been commenced. Being aggrieved by the same, the petitioner approached this Court by filing the present Writ Petition. Heard learned counsel for both the parties. When once a crime has been registered, the Police are under bounden duty to investigate into it and submit a final report before a competent criminal Court. As seen from the F.I.R., it is clear that seven months have been elapsed since filing of the crime i.e., on 01.05.2009. It is true that it would take some more time for the fifth respondent to complete the entire investigation, but at the same time he shall see that the investigation is completed at the earliest. In the circumstances and as it is the grievance of the petitioner that there is no progress in the investigation, this Court is of the view that this writ petition can be disposed of with a direction to the fifth respondent to complete the investigation. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the fifth respondent to complete the investigation by examining the witnesses and recording their statements and file a final report, as provided for under Section 173 Cr.P.C., before a competent criminal Court, preferably within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________________ (GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA, J) 31st December, 2009 Note: Issue CC in one week. (B/o) GHN