HYDERABAD: Justice K Sujana of the Telangana High Court on Thursday reserved orders in four criminal petitions filed by Telangana Irrigation & Command Area Development Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy seeking quashing of criminal cases registered against him during the 2019 byelection to the Huzurabad Assembly segment.
The petitions challenge four criminal cases registered alleging violation of the model code of conduct during the bypoll campaign. The minister and other Congress leaders were booked under Sections 341 and 188 read with 34 of the IPC and Section 30 of the Police Act.
According to the prosecution, the cases relate to roadshows and campaign meetings conducted by the petitioner and party workers while campaigning for Congress candidate and Uttam’s wife Padmavathi.
One of the cases was registered on October 18, 2019 under Sections 341 and 188 read with 34 IPC against Uttam and other Congress leaders. Another case was registered on October 10, 2019 under Section 188 IPC and Section 30 of the Police Act. Another case was registered on October 19, 2019 under Section 188 IPC and Section 30 of the Police Act. A fourth case was re1gistered under Sections 341 and 188 read with 34 IPC, in which Uttam was listed as Accused No 1.
The petitions also sought quashing of the proceedings pending before the Special Judicial First Class Magistrate for Excise Cases at Hyderabad and to dispense with the appearance of the petitioner and other accused in the cases.