HYDERABAD: In a new twist to the infamous Tollywood drugs case of 2017, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday asked the State government and the Trial Court to hand over the entire record of investigation, including all FIRs, data in physical and digital formats, to Enforcement Directorate (ED). The High Court set a 15-day deadline to the Trial Court to had over the records to the ED from the date its applies for them. The bench further directed the State government to ensure that all data records of the year 2017, connected with all those involved in the drugs case be furnished to the ED within30 days from now.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chanrda Sharma and Justuice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, made it clear that noncompliance of its the orders will be viewed seriously. The ED could approach the High Court by filing appropriate application, if documents and related information are not furnished to it within the stipulated time.
The direction was given on an interlocutory application filed by the ED in a PIL by TPCC president A Revanth Reddy seeking a probe by CBI, NCB and other specialised agencies into the case. The ED sought certain documents from the Director, Prohibition & Excise, Telangana, which is the investigating agency, copies of FIRs in all the 12 cases, chargesheets, statements recorded, digital evidences and all other related documents.
Special government pleader Sanjeev Kumar stated that all the information which is sought by the ED has been submitted before the Trial Court back in July-August 2017 and now, the State has no copies of those documents.
ED Joint Director Abhishek Goyal, who was present before the court virtually, strongly opposed the special counsel’s submissions and informed the court that the documents have not been furnished to the ED, neither by the State nor by the Trial Court. The Trial Court had said no documents were filed before it and the State now says it has submitted all the documents ant it did not maintain any copy of such documents.
Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, after hearing the contentions of the special government pleader and Joint Director of ED, said: “This drugs menace is playing havoc with the lives of youth of this country. Why is the State government not cooperating with ED by furnishing relevant information so that it can go ahead with the probe. It is in the larger interest of the nation.” While disposing the PIL, the bench said: “Now, the question of handing over the drugs case to CBI or any other specialised agency does not arise.”
ED opposes claim
ED Joint Director Abhishek Goyal strongly opposed the special counsel’s submissions and informed that the documents have not been furnished to the ED, neither by the State nor by the Trial Court. The Trial Court had said no documents were filed before it and that it did not maintain any copy of such documents
Court raps State govt
“This drugs menace is playing havoc with the lives of youth of this country. Why the State government is not cooperating with ED by furnishing relevant information so that it can go ahead with the probe. It is in the larger interest of the nation,” said Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, after hearing the contentions, on Wednesday