Due process followed in arrest of Narla Sri Vidya, says Telangana HC

Telangana High Court dismissed a habeas corpus plea by Narla Sudhakar Sharma alleging illegal detention of his daughter Narla Sri Vidya. The Court observed that due process was followed in her arrest for suspected CPI (Maoist) links and closed the petition

Hyderabad: A Division Bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice BR Madhusudhan Rao on Monday closed a habeas corpus petition filed by Narla Sudhakar Sharma, who alleged that his daughter Narla Sri Vidya was illegally detained by the police without following due process.

The petitioner, a senior citizen, claimed that his daughter was picked up by plainclothes police personnel from Hafeezpet on July 24, 2025, without formal communication, and sought her production and release from alleged illegal custody.

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However, the Government Pleader submitted that Sri Vidya was taken into custody based on credible intelligence linking her as a State Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist). The State informed the Court that a lawful search of her residence was conducted in the presence of independent mediators and officials, leading to the seizure of digital devices and cash.

It was further stated that an arrest memo was prepared, a medical examination was conducted, and the accused was produced before the VIII Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate. The petitioner was also informed of the arrest as per Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provisions.

The authorities added that Sri Vidya had previously been implicated in a 2019 case and was listed as an underground cadre of the banned organisation. After considering submissions, the Bench held that due process was followed and no illegal detention occurred, and thus closed the petition.