HYDERABAD: Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court has reserved his orders in a criminal petition filed by BRS working president KT Rama Rao, former MLAs Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy and Balka Suman, seeking quashing of FIR No. 118 of 2024 registered at the Mahadevpur police station over their alleged unauthorised visit to the Medigadda barrage and the illegal use of a drone to capture photographs of the site without prior permission from authorities.
The BRS leaders had visited the Medigadda barrage on July 26, 2024, to present what they claimed to be the facts about the barrage’s condition and to counter allegations purportedly spread by the ruling Congress.
They asserted that despite the availability of sufficient mechanism to lift water from the barrage, the state irrigation officials were failing to do so, leading to water shortages for Kharif cultivation. Additionally, they claimed that false propaganda was being circulated that the barrage had become unusable.
Public prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao argued that the Medigadda barrage falls under a prohibited area as defined under Section 2(8) of the Official Secrets Act. To support his claim, he submitted a gazette notification issued by the Union government. The prosecution contended that the petitioners’ visit was in blatant violation of the Official Secrets Act and that they illegally flew a drone over the barrage.
Statements from witnesses, including two police officials and several executive engineers working at the site, indicated that Rama Rao and other leaders forcefully entered the restricted area and used a drone without authorisation.
However, TV Ramana Rao, counsel for the petitioners, countered these allegations, stating that there was no direct evidence linking the other leaders to the drone operation.
He argued that the FIR was lodged with considerable delay and lacked merit, asserting that the complaint was filed at the behest of higher officials with an ulterior motive. He further contended that no prima facie case was made out against his clients and sought the quashing of the FIR and all related proceedings.
After hearing both sides, Justice K Lakshman reserved his orders in the matter.