VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday refused to entertain a habeas corpus petition filed by the families of Maoist leaders Tappiri Tirupati alias Devji and Malla Rajireddy, stating that no evidence had been produced to show the duo were in police custody.
A division bench of Justice C Manavendranath Roy and Justice G Tuhin Kumar said the petitioners failed to submit even basic material to support their claim.
The bench, however, allowed them to approach the court again if they later obtained proof of illegal detention.
The petitioners Devji’s brother Tippiri Gangadhar and Rajireddy’s daughter Snehalatha alleged that police had secretly detained the senior Maoist leaders and sought directions to produce them before a magistrate.
Petitioners’ counsel U Jai Bhimrao submitted newspaper clippings and TV news videos referring to Maoist arrests. But Special Government Counsel Tirumani Vishnuteja pointed out that the police had only confirmed taking nine security guards of Maoist leaders into custody and explicitly denied detaining Devji.
The court concluded that none of it indicated the two leaders were in police hands. With no credible evidence before it, the bench closed the petition.