HYDERABAD: Describing the petition filed by former IAS officer Ajeya Kallam as an “abuse of the legal process” the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday told the Telangana High Court that it should not be maintained.
Kallam, who currently serves as the principal advisor to the AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, had raised concerns about the way his statement was recorded under Section 161 of the Cr.PC in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case was handled by the CBI. Kallam had alleged that the agency misinterpreted his statement regarding the events that occurred at the CM residence on the day of the murder.
Following directions from the court, the CBI director submitted the agency’s counter to Kallam’s plea, putting forth several objections. In its counter, the CBI asserted that Kallam’s claims appeared to be an afterthought and were intended to undermine the prosecution’s case. It said that Kallam’s statement had been recorded voluntarily at his residence on April 29, 2023, and no complaint had been filed against the investigation officer (IO) since then.
The CBI argued that as a retired IAS officer, Kallam was well aware of the purpose and implications of a statement recorded under Section 161 CrPC by the IO. It said that the statement had been read out and explained to him, in accordance with the law.
The CBI also pointed out inconsistencies in Kallam’s account of events, especially since he had claimed to have learned about his examination from a newspaper in the third week of May 2023, which he deemed a distorted version. Subsequently, Kallam held a press conference to deny making such a statement.
The CBI contended that Kallam’s writ petition lacked merit and should not have been filed at this stage. Informing the court that an audio recording had been made of Kallam’s examination as a witness, the CBI enclosed a copy of the recording in a sealed cover for the court’s review.
Stating that Kallam’s writ petition was an afterthought and not maintainable, the CBI urged the court to dismiss it and impose exemplary costs as a deterrent.