HYDERABAD: Rejecting Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s claim that his son Sai Bhageerath had surrendered before the police in the POCSO case registered against him, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday clarified that the accused was in fact arrested by the cops.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat, the chief minister said that he believes the version of the police. “If it was a surrender, they would have called police to their house and handed over Bhageerath. But here, cops have taken him into custody at the Police Academy Junction while checking vehicles. Should I believe the version of police or that of political leaders?” he asked.
“The government has acted as per procedure after the FIR was registered. Neither courts nor people have found anything wrong in this process. Police also issued a notice to Bhageerath to appear before them,” he added.
Revanth Reddy, meanwhile, accused BRS working president KT Rama Rao and his party colleagues of “behaving like sadists” in an attempt to politicise the “sensitive” case. “KTR is a sadist. BRS leaders are behaving like sadists, claiming that they have achieved something in this case,” he said.
“KTR is acting like a judge and (BRS general secretary) RS Praveen Kumar like the Investigation Officer in this case. Without any shame, they are uttering unnecessary things about this case,” he added.
He further said: “It is a sensitive case involving a minor girl. It is not appropriate on their part to do politics over this case. Acting as if they have achieved something in this case is nothing but sadism.”
Revanth also sought to know why BRS president and his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao was not reacting to this sensational case.
“Where is the Leader of the Opposition when injustice is being done to a minor girl? If he has energy to step out of his farmhouse and speak, he should have at least issued a press statement,” he said.
He also tried to remind Rama Rao of past drug cases involving his relatives as well as party colleagues.
“When a few persons were found consuming drugs in the farmhouse owned by his brother-in-law, why hasn’t KTR handed over his brother-in-law to police? Instead of handing him over to police, KTR defended him. He questioned the government as to how it would arrest them as they were only celebrating Diwali,” he said.
“BRS leader (ex-MLA) Pilot Rohith Reddy was also found consuming drugs at his farmhouse. He also opened fire at the police. Why hasn’t BRS suspended him from the party,” he asked.
‘Procurement delay due to return of hamalis to WB’
The chief minister, meanwhile, hit back at the BRS leaders for criticising the ongoing paddy procurement process.
Admitting that there has been some delay, he said: “There were delays in the process for around four days. This was due to a shortage of hamalis, most of whom are from West Bengal as they went to their native state to participate in elections.”
Advising the BRS leaders to give suggestions instead of resorting to ‘sheva rajakiyalu’ (doing politics over dead bodies), he said: “They are shamelessly visiting procurement centres and clicking selfies. Instead of extending financial assistance from their looted money to the families of deceased farmers, they are visiting them and taking photos. They are not even behaving like human beings.”
He alleged that a few millers, who are being influenced by BRS leaders, are not unloading paddy at their mills. “This is nothing but organised crime by BRS leaders,” he added.