HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday directed the State government to submit video footage of alleged provocative speech of TPCC working president A Revanth Reddy on December 4 last year — before the Assembly elections wherein he had incited his followers to disrupt the public meeting of then caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao at Kosgi. The bench made it clear that the said video footage should have English sub-titles to enable them to understand it properly.
The bench comprising Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice T Amarnath Goud was passing this order in the habeas corpus petition filed by Vem Narender Reddy, former MLA and close associate of Revanth, challenging the alleged illegal detention of Revanth who contested in the recently concluded elections from Kodangal assembly segment. Revanth lost the election in the hands of TRS candidate Patnam Narender Reddy. The petitioner sought court directions to the government for payment of Rs 20 lakh towards compensation for allegedly detaining Revanth illegally.
Former Attorney general of India and senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Telangana government, contended that the petition was not maintainable as it was not a case of illegal detention. While defending the action of the police, he said that nothing remained in the matter to be adjudicated since Revanth was released on the same day.
Payment of compensation does not arise as there was no illegality in taking him into preventive custody and releasing him immediately after the meeting. After hearing the submissions of the senior counsel, the bench directed the government to furnish the video footage of Revanth’s provocative speech with English sub-titles and posted the matter to Tuesday for further hearing.
‘Incendiary’ speech
Congress leader Reddy had reportedly incited his followers to disrupt a public meeting of then caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Kosgi just a few days before the Assembly elections. The Court has asked for video footage of said speech.