Disha case: Telangana High Court issues notices to Sajjanar, other cops

The division bench of the Telangana High Court issued notices to police officers including former Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar in connection with the Disha case

Hyderabad: The division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji on Wednesday issued notices to police officers including former Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar in connection with the Disha case.

In the batch of cases before the bench, senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy, representing the Telangana Police Officers Association, said a detailed and fair investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the four accused was carried out by the SIT constituted by the State government and a final report was filed before the Magistrate concerned under Section 173 of CrPC, which was pending consideration.

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He also pointed out that the Supreme Court had permitted the SIT investigation to be continued while appointing a Commission of Inquiry. He argued that public interest litigants had made no case for interference of the High Court. However, as the counsel pointed out police officers against whom adverse remarks were made by the Enquiry Commission in the present batch of PILs, were not served notices, the bench issued notices to the police officers and adjourned the case to June 21 for further hearing.

Honour killing accused denied bail

Justice C Sumalatha of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday dismissed a bail application filed by one of the accused, Kaila Sandeep Reddy, in the Chandanagar honour killing.

The couple Avanthi and Hemanth got married against the wishes of Avanthi’s parents, after which Hemanth was killed by her family members and relatives. Counsel Devineni Radha Rani representing Sandeep Reddy said he was falsely implicated by the police without any connection to the crime. The Assistant Public Prosecutor argued that the vehicle used in the crime belonged to the accused while phone call records and other evidence showing the involvement of the accused in the said crime were available. T Swetcha, counsel representing complainant and victim Avanthi argued that the petitioner, along with other accused abducted the deceased and handed him to the private assassins.

She informed the court that trial was going on and if the accused was released on bail, they could influence the witnesses. After hearing all parties, the court observed that it was not a fit case for bail and dismissed the petition.

Election Commission asked to submit report

Justice K Laxman of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Election Commission to submit a detailed report in an election petition filed by Adluri Laxman Kumar of the Congress party, who had lost to BRS Minister Koppula Eshwar by about 450 votes in the 2018 Assembly elections to the Dharmapuri Constituency.

Laxman alleged irregularities in the counting and sought recounting. He immediately filed an election petition before the court contending that Returning Officer declared Eshwar Koppula as the winning candidate without counting and recounting the VVPAT slips available in all the EVMs used for the election. The court had earlier occasion directed the District Collector to open the EVM strongroom in Jagtial district. The District Collector through Government Pleader informed the court that keys of two strong rooms were not traceable. The court, after hearing the instructions, ordered the Central Election Commission to enquire into the issue and submit a detail report. The court also asked the District Collector to detail the course of action and adjourned the case to April 18.

IAS, IPS cadre case posted to June 5

A division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Pulla Karthik on Wednesday posted the case pertaining to cadre allotment of IAS and IPS officers including Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar to June 5.

During the State bifurcation, 14 officers who were allotted to the AP cadre approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and obtained orders to serve as Telangana cadre employees. The CAT order was challenged by the Centre in the High Court.

The Centre’s counsel requested the court to hear and conclude the case by reminding the similar case of earlier Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.