HYDERABAD: In a significant development regarding TRS MLA Ramesh Chennamaneni citizenship row, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday informed the High Court that Ramesh still holds a German passport and even went abroad from Chennai on December 22 last year by using it.
The court opined that everything was against the petitioner MLA.
On Dec 16 last year, the court directed the Home Ministry to file an affidavit with respect to Ramesh’s claim of giving up his German citizenship.
Pursuant to earlier direction of the court, assistant solicitor general N Rajeshwar Rao, appearing for the Centre, on Monday placed the letter addressed to him by the Home Ministry before Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili dealing with petition filed by Chennamaneni Ramesh, representing Vemulawada Assembly segment, seeking to set aside the Home Ministry orders declaring him as not a citizen of India and that he has obtained Indian Citizenship fraudulently.
The MLA said that since he has already surrendered his German citizenship, depriving him of his Indian citizenship will make him stateless.
After perusing the letter, the judge said, “prima facie, everything is against you.’’ The Home Ministry stated it is evident that Ramesh held German nationality as on Dec 16 last.
The judge asked the petitioner’s counsel as to how Ramesh could travel abroad when he claimed to have relinquished his German citizenship? The matter was posted to Feb 24.