Daijiworld Media Network
Jul 27: The Andhra Pradesh government has triggered a fresh controversy by withdrawing 23 criminal cases against politicians belonging to ruling party since in came to power.
Among the cases withdrawn is the case of molestation and hurt against Minister K Atchannaidu and a case of attempt to murder against Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao from Anakapalli Assembly Constituency. Rao was booked in 2009 under Cr No 15/2009 for attempt to murder (307 IPC), voluntarily causing hurt to the public (332), and causing grievous hurt and criminal trespass and for unlawful assembly.
The home department also withdrew cases of Deputy Chief Ministers K E Krishnamurthy and N Chinarajappa, Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, Ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Kollu Ravindra, and Nakka Anand Babu.
Deputy CM K E Krishna Murthy was booked under section 130 of the Representation of People's Act (offence during polling day) and section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (violating orders of public servant) on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court, Dhone. In 2014, a public nuisance case was filed against Kollu Ravindra which has been withdrawn.
The government also issued orders for withdrawal of prosecution against Minister Nakka Ananda Babu who represents Vemuru Assembly constituency, Guntur district, and four others involved in a 2013 case. They were booked under section 353 for assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.
In 2007, cases were booked against Telugu Desam MLAs and MLCs for unlawful assembly and restraining public servant from discharging his duties. They were booked for protesting against former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and his mining activities in D Hirehal police station in Anantapuram police station. Even these cases are dropped.
Cases against former MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy, TS MLA Y Dayakar Rao, the then MLA Ranganayakulu, former MLA B C Govindappa, former MLC Mettu Govinda Reddy, Minister Devineni Maheswara Rao, former MLAs V Narendra Reddy, Hareeshwar Reddy, Babu Ramesh, Padala Aruna, Ananda Rao, M Ashok Reddy and Lalitha Kumari, Deputy CM Chinnarajappa, and former legislators Narayana Rao, Y Rajendra Prasad, Masala Padmaja, Amarnatha Reddy and Minister Atchannaidu, TD leader Batchula Arjunudu, ex MLA M Shajahan Basha, MLC Reddy Subrahmanyam and MLA Gollapalli Surya Rao of Razole are withdrawn.
Retired judges strike back
This move by the state government is now being questioned by a group of eminent persons which include retired high court judges, P Lakshmana Reddy and Chandra Kumar, and former RTI Commissioner P Vijaya Babu. They aim to expose the withdrawal of prosecutions against the politicians in the state.