Secunderabad Cantonment MLA P Shanker Rao got relief on Wednesday with the High Court granting stay of investigation in the defamation case for alleged derogatory remarks against DGP V Dinesh Reddy. Also, his daughter-in-law Vamsi Priya withdrew harassment charges against Shanker Rao and other members of his family.
Justice R Kantha Rao dealt with a lunch motion petition moved by Shanker Rao seeking stay of all further proceedings, including investigation and arrest, in the case registered at Saifabad police station.
Last month, assistant IG of police (admn) M Subba Rao lodged a complaint against the MLA for remarks against the DGP. On court reference, Saifabad police registered a case against the MLA Sections 500 and 506 of IPC and Section 3 of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act.
Petitioner’s counsel MV Durga Prasad pointed out that the lower court had referred the complaint for investigation though the alleged offences were non-cognizable. Besides, any alleged offence against a public servant cannot be taken notice of except on a complaint in writing by the public servant himself, he said.
The judge asked the public prosecutor whether the MLA was arrested in the defamation case. The PP sought time to inform the court about the case status.
While granting two days time to the PP, the judge passed interim orders granting stay of investigation and against arresting the MLA, if not arrested already, for one week. The case was posted for hearing to July 19.
In another case, Shanker Rao and his family members got relief as his daughter-in-law Vamsi Priya withdrew her petition against them for alleged harassment. Both the parties have come to a compromise before the court.
Last month, Vamsi Priya filed a petition in the high court seeking action against her father-in-law Shanker Rao, husband Shashank and other family members for alleged harassment.
Later, the MLA was arrested by the CCS police, but he fell unconscious soon after he reached the police station. Police shifted him to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment.