HC dismisses criminal petition filed by KCR’s nephew, plea seeking quashing of FIR

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s single bench, comprising Justice K Sujana, on Wednesday dismissed the criminal petition filed by Kalvakuntla Kanna Rao @ Tejeshwar Rao, nephew of former CM K Chandrashekar Rao seeking a direction to quash FIR 123/2024 dated March 3,U/s. 147, 148, 447, 307, 436, 506 r/w.149 IPC against him by the Adibatla police on charges of attempt to murder, land-grabbing and encroachment.

The judge also dismissed two other criminal petitions filed by Jakkidi Surender Reddy and Jakkidi Harinath, who are accused 1 and 2 in the FIR 123 registered against them. All petitioners sought a direction to quash the FIR 123.

Kanna Rao and other accused, along with his henchmen, barged into land belonging to the de facto complainant Bandoju Srinivas, director, OSR Projects, and occupied it. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Rao and two other accused for attempting to grab two acres in Adibatla.

Arguments in case filed by Praneeth Rao conclude; orders today

Justice G Radha Rani heard arguments made by both parties. Gandra Mohan Rao, senior counsel appearing for Dugyala Praneeth Rao, DSP SIB (under suspension) informed the court that the police were interrogating the petitioner for 24 hours, without giving a break whereas the interrogation should be done from 10.30 am to 5 pm as per the SC guidelines, thereby violating its orders in DK Basu vs. State of West Bengal.

He said police officers, who are a part of the interrogation team, are leaking contents of interrogation to press thereby damaging the image of the petitioner; he is not subjected to medical examination every two days. Though the crime pertaining to phone-tapping offence is registered in Panjagutta PS, the police are interrogating him in Banjara Hills PS. The complainant Ramesh, Additional SP, is also participating in the interrogation in violation of rules and contended that he should not be allowed. He sought suspension of the lower court’s order dated March 16.

Palle Nageshwar Rao, public prosecutor, while appearing for the State, opposed the contentions of Mohan Rao, and told the court that the petitioner resorted to phone-tapping of Opposition leaders in 2023, a serious offence. The police are interrogating the accused adhering to the SC; there is no violation.

A special investigation team is being constituted to probe the phone-tapping issue. The ACP, Banjara Hills, heads the SIT; hence Rao is being interrogated in Banjara Hills PS. The complainant is being called during interrogation only for adducing evidence; he is not participating in the interrogation. The PP said only on the day of Rao’s arrest, a press meet was held; information pertaining to crime was divulged. After that the interrogation team has not leaked any information.

The judge was adjudicating the memorandum of criminal revision petition, CRL RC.494 of 2024, filed by Rao, seeking a direction to suspend the operation of the order of XIV chief metropolitan magistrate in crime no 243 of 2024 on the file of Panjagutta PS, pending disposal of criminal revision case.