HYDERABAD: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Friday directed the state as well as Delhi police not to take any coercive steps against Manne Sathish, Asma Tasleem (Congress spokesperson), Ambala Shiva Kumar (TPCC state secretary), Pettam Naveen (advocate), Koya Geetha and Pendyala Vamshi Krishna (TPCC social media state secretaries) who are accused of sharing a doctored video clip of Home Minister Amit Shah.
The court directed Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, and principal secretary (Home) and others, to file their response and adjourned the hearing for four weeks.
The petitioners raised concerns over a case registered by the SHO, Special Cell, Delhi, on a complaint filed by one Shinku Sharan Singh, alleging morphing of and circulation of a video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah stating that reservations for STs, SCs and OBCs would be scrapped if the BJP retains power at the Centre. A similar case was registered by Hyderabad police on a complaint lodged by G Premender Reddy, BJP state general secretary.
The petitioners also challenged the notices issued under Section 91/160 of CrPC by the Delhi police.
‘Notice untenable as petitioners already named in similar case’
The petitioners, who are the members of the Congress holding various positions, asserted that they were law-abiding citizens without any criminal antecedents. Admitting their participation in election campaigns, they said they did not violate any norms prescribed by the Election Commission of India. Finding the notice issued by the SHO, Special Cell, Delhi, to be untenable, as the petitioners were already named accused in another similar case with same allegations, Justice Vijaysen Reddy granted interim relief to the petitioners, directing the respondents not to take any coercive steps against them. The court adjourned the matter for four weeks to allow the respondents to file their replies.