NIA court rejects bail plea of Kodi Kathi Sreenu

Vijayawada: Second additional district and session court (NIA court) judge VS Anjaneya Murthy on Friday rejected the bail petition submitted by advocate Salim on behalf of Srinivas, popularly known as Kodi Kathi Seenu, who attacked the then opposition leader and the YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy with a sharp blade used for rooster fights.

It may be recalled that Srinivas attacked Jagan Mohan Reddy with a sharp blade at Visakhapatnam airport on October 25, 2018. Srinivas has been languishing in prison since the attack and his advocate Salim filed the bail petition in the court. The judge rejected the bail petition and posted the case for further hearing to January 31.

The judge while rejecting the petition asked the prosecution where the victim in the case is. The prosecution was told that both the accused and the victim should be present in the trial of such cases.

The counsel for the accused Salim informed the court that the victim who is now the chief minister was not enquired in the case for reasons better known to the investigating agency.

The NIA counsel submitted to the court that they had recorded the statement of the Chief Minister. The judge pointed out that the recorded statement was not included in the chargesheet. "There is no point in taking the deposition of other witnesses without taking the statement of the victim," the judge remarked. The judge stated that everyone involved in the case, including the victim, should be present in the court on January 31.