HYDERABAD: Justice K Sujana of the Telangana High Court on Thursday heard two criminal petitions filed by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy seeking to quash proceedings arising out of two FIRs registered against him in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
The petitions relate to FIR No. 41 of 2023 registered at Mogulapally police station and FIR No. 100 of 2023 at Bhupalapally police station, both booked under Sections 504 and 505(2) of the IPC. In both cases, the de facto complainant is Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, former BRS MLA from Bhupalapally.
After hearing preliminary submissions, the Court issued notice to the complainant, directing him to file his response. However, Justice Sujana declined the request by senior counsel Bala Mohan Reddy, appearing for the petitioner, for a stay of further proceedings, including exemption from the petitioner’s appearance before the trial court. The petitions were adjourned to February 21.
During arguments, Revanth’s counsel contended that the registration of two FIRs at different police stations on identical allegations reflected mala fide intent and a deliberate attempt to harass the petitioner. It was also pointed out that both cases are listed for hearing before the lower court on February 19.
The FIRs stem from two complaints dated March 3, 2023, filed by the former MLA, alleging that Revanth made defamatory and derogatory remarks against him while addressing a public meeting in Bhupalapally district on February 22, 2023. The complainant alleged that he was accused of land grabbing, involvement in petrol and sand pilferage, and misappropriation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited funds, and that the speech was widely reported in print and electronic media.
At the time of the alleged incident, Revanth was an MP and president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.