Bandi Sanjay conspired to defame Telangana government: Warangal CP
Bandi Sanjay was made A1 and Booram Prashant as A2 in SSC paper leak case after proper scientific probe, said Warangal CP AV Ranganath
Warangal: Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar along with party activist Booram Prashanth tried to defame the government by making an attempt to ‘leak’ the SSC Hindi paper. The whole episode took place at the behest of Sanjay. Booram Prashanth, a former journalist, who is now working with NaMo of the BJP, deliberately circulated the paper on social media, primarily WhatsApp groups, with a malafide intention, Warangal Commissioner of Police AV Ranganath said.
Addressing a press conference at his office on Wednesday, Ranganath said both Sanjay and Prashaath had been talking on WhatsApp and making WhatsApp calls frequently since Monday evening.
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“We made Bandi Sanjay as A1 and Prashant as A2 after a proper and scientific probe. We have arrested four accused including Sanjay and Prashanth, while five others are absconding. One of the accused, who is a juvenile, will be produced before the juvenile court,” he said.
The CP said Sanjay and Prashanth conspired to defame the government when the Telugu question paper came out on Monday. There were WhatsApp chats between Sanjay and Prashanth alleging that IT Minister KT Rama Rao was the reason behind the paper leakage, he said, adding that these same chats appeared as news items in some newspapers the next day after Sanjay spoke in a press meet about the same message sent by Prashanth after the leak of the Hindi question paper. ‘We have all evidence’, Ranganath said, adding that they would move the court for police custody of Sanjay for further questioning in the case.
Can arrest without warrant
Brushing aside the criticism over the arrest of BJP State president Bandi Sanjay without a warrant, Warangal Commissioner AV Ranganath made it clear that the police could arrest the accused following the procedure mentioned in Section 41 of the CrPC.
He said that they followed due procedure and arrested Sanjay, the prime accused in the case. Ranganath also denied allegations that they had targeted BJP leaders, reminding that the police had arrested several ruling BRS leaders including corporators and other party leaders on charges of land grabbing and other offences.
“After I came here, we have arrested leaders irrespective of their political affiliations,” he said.
The Commissioner said there were enough grounds for the arrest, as per the circumstances mentioned under Section 41. These included the possibility of the accused indulging in further malpractice since the SSC examinations were still on, since the situation could lead to law and order problems, since the investigation was not yet completed with more evidence yet to be collected, and also possibility of tampering of evidence.
What does Section 41 of CrPC say?
As per Section 41 in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, the police may effect an arrest without a warrant.
Any police officer may without an order from a Magistrate and without a warrant, arrest any person, who has been concerned in any cognizable offence, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made, or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists, of his having been so concerned; or who has in his possession without lawful excuse, the burden of proving which excuse shall lie on such person, the section says.
