Proceedings against Telugu daily honchos stayed
Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday ordered an interim stay on all further proceedings against D Damodar Rao, the CMD of Telangana Publications Pvt Ltd and T Krishna Murthy, the editor of a Telugu daily who face accusations of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. Damodar Rao and Krishna Murthy had filed a criminal petition challenging FIR No. 1,232 of 2024 dated November 1,2024 lodged at the Meerpet police station. The FIR alleges that the petitioners committed various criminal acts such as cheating, forgery of valuable security, using forged documents, and inciting public mischief. The police had also added offences under the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, in the case.
During the hearing, senior counsel BS Prasad, representing the petitioners, contended that the charges levelled against them were baseless and did not attract the necessary legal ingredients to constitute cognizable offences. Prasad argued that the FIR was a clear abuse of the process of law and an infringement of the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guaranteed the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression. He said that the publication in question was made in good faith and in public interest, aiming to inform the public rather than perpetuate any criminal activity.
Prasad also pointed out that the publication had actually played a role in preventing potential criminal activity, not promoting it, and therefore, should not be subjected to criminal investigation. He urged the court to grant interim protection to the petitioners, which would prevent any unnecessary legal actions against them while the matter was pending. Public Prosecutor Nageshwar Rao opposed this and argued for continuation of the investigation. After hearing both sides, Justice Lakshman observed that the petitioners’ arguments warranted consideration and passed a reasoned order granting a stay on further proceedings.
Produce CCTV footage in illegal detention case, CP told
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to produce the CCTV footage from the Osmania University police station for the period between October 28 and October 31, 2024. The judge was hearing a writ petition filed by J Joel Babu Raidu and three others, challenging the alleged illegal detention of Joel and his two brothers by the police.
The writ petition alleges that Joel and his elder brother were detained for 18 hours at the OU police station when they went there to file a complaint regarding an assault on another of their brothers, Bharath Simha Raidu, who is currently under judicial custody. The writ petition says that Bharath Simha Raidu suffers from schizophrenia. Counsel for the petitioners, Kadire Ajith Reddy, argued that the police violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners by unlawfully detaining them.
The petitioners also alleged that the police fabricated a remand case diary, falsely documenting that Bharath Simha Raidu had been remanded to judicial custody at Habsiguda, when, in fact, he was at the police station to comply with a 35(3) notice of BNSS (41-A CrPC). Instead of allowing him to comply with the legal notice, the police allegedly arrested him at the station.
The court expressed concern over the allegations of misconduct by the police and directed the commissioner to submit the CCTV footage and adjourned the matter to November 18.