HC directs cops not to arrest Harish Rao, but proceed with investigation

Hyderabad: On Thursday, the High Court Single Bench of Justice Kunuru Lakshman heard the Criminal Petition filed by ex-minister Harish Rao, MLA Siddipet, BRS party and directed the Panjagutta Police “not to arrest” the petitioner.

Further, the Court directed the Police to go ahead with the investigation. Moreover, notice was issued to Gadhagoni Chakradhar Goud, defacto complainant, directing him to respond to the notices.

Siddharth Luthra, Senior Counsel, Supreme Court representing the State Government informed the Court that Gadhagoni Chakradhar Goud, who is the defacto complainant has first made a complaint to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad city on 23-11-2024 stating that his phone and his family members' phones were tapped. They are under surveillance and the complaint made on 01-12-2024 at the Panjagutta PS is the 2nd complaint.

Further, Luthra informed the Court that it is the right of the defacto complainant to file an Election Petition challenging the election of T Harish Rao, which cannot be disputed and refuted the contention of Ramchander Rao, Senior counsel appearing for Harish Rao, who stated that the defacto complainant is a habitual complainant as he filed many complaints before the police alleging phone tapping and also filed an Election Petition challenging election of the Petitioner Harish Rao.

Siddharth Luthra, while advancing his arguments informed the Court that the only remedy Harish Rao has in this case is “Anticipatory Bail” and prayed the Court that Harish Rao should not be given any protection from arrest as this is a serious offence of “phone tapping” as the phone of the defacto complainant and his family members were tapped, upon which a complaint was already lodged with the CP, Hyderabad on 23-11-2024.

Luthra contended that we cannot have a situation where people will breach the privacy of other individuals as happened in this case... it is a fundamental right, which is being violated and this aspect needs to be investigated. The defacto complainant was informed by the Apple Company through an e-mail that his phone was being tapped.

Justice Kunuru Lakshman after hearing the contentions of Siddharth Luthra said that, recently, he had granted protection to a petitioner in a SC, ST Atrocity case, but directed the investigation to go on and this issue went up to the Supreme Court and is pending there. In this case also, the Judge granted protection to Harish Rao, but directed the Police to go ahead with the investigation.

HC directs police to hand over body of Malliah to family members

On Thursday, the High Court Single Bench comprising of Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy directed the SHO, Eturunagaram to hand over the remaining one dead body amongst seven dead bodies of the naxals, who died in an encounter, to the family members.

The petitioner IIlamma will collect the dead body of her deceased husband by 12 noon on Friday, in the presence of the counsel for the petitioner and two other persons. Further, the Judge directed the SHO Eturunagaram to forward the videos and photographs pertaining to the PME, inquest and other relevant material pertaining to the Encounter to the Investigating Officer of this case viz., V Ravinder Reddy, SDPO, Manuguru for further investigation.

On Thursday, when the matter was heard, the GP for Home Mahesh Raje informed the Court that the PME has been conducted by a team of doctors comprising of Forensic Science experts and opposed the plea of the petitioner of preserving the remaining one dead body on the ground that as time passes, the dead bodies will get decomposed and the injuries, if any on the dead bodies will enlarge, leading to further decomposition and decay of the dead bodies.

Further, the GP for Home informed the Court that the PME is awaited and the investigation will go on. Under these circumstances, he prayed the court to hand over the remaining dead body of the deceased naxal Mallaiah to his wife to avoid further decay and decomposition of the dead body.

Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy, after hearing the contentions of the GP for Home and the counsel for the petitioner observed that the PME has been conducted by expert doctors and the PME is awaited and the investigation will throw light on the aspersions of the petitioner and said that the remaining dead body should be handed over to the petitioner.

The case was adjourned to December 26 for further hearing.

Task Force committees to ensure no food poisoning incidents: Govt to HC

On Thursday, the High Court Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao heard the plea filed by Keethineedi Akhil Sri Guru Teja from Hyderabad, who sought a direction to the Central Government and the State Government to implement mid-day meals PM Poshan as per menu in all Government Schools till Class VIII and implement Integrated Child Development Service Scheme (ICDS) as per menu in all projects.

On 27-11-2024, when the above plea was taken up for hearing, the counsel for the petitioner Chikkudu Prabhakar brought to the notice of the Court that on 20-11-2024, 50 students studying in Maganoor Zilla Parishad High School in Narayanpet district fell sick reportedly after eating boiled eggs and other food, who were shifted to Makthal hospital.

On 21-11-2024, Worms were seen in the mid-day meal served to the students of the same school and on 26-11-2024, 28 students fell sick in the same school again after consuming stale food and despite such serious and pathetic conditions prevailing in the Government schools, the State Administration has not taken any steps to ensure that such incidents do not crop up again.

The Chief Justice, upon hearing such a contention, summoned for the Addl. AG Imran Khan and sought details on the entire issue and passed serious observations against the officials, who are responsible for this and called for a report.

Accordingly, on Thursday, when the matter came up for hearing before the Chief Justice Bench, Imran Khan informed the Chief Justice Bench that the State Government has constituted Task Force Committees, across the State, which will ensure that the food poisoning issues won’t crop up again.

Further, the Addl. AG informed the Court that action has been initiated against the Head Master of the Maganoor Zilla Parishad High School in Narayanpet district by suspending him and the contractor, who was responsible for supplying food for the school children, whose contract was terminated.

After hearing the Addl. AG Imran Khan, the Chief Justice Bench adjourned the matter by six weeks, directing the State Government to file a detailed Status Report on the issue and also furnish details pertaining to the Task Force committees, its members etc., to the Court.