High Court stays legal proceedings against KCR in rail roko case

No evidence was placed in the chargesheet to attract offences against Chandrashekar Rao, he said, adding that the polie had filed a chargesheet in 2023, splitting the case, and showing Chandrashekhar Rao as absconding.

Hyderabad: THyderabad:

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday stayed all criminal proceedings against BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in the case pertaining to Rail Roko call given during the Telangana Statehood movement in 2011.

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Justice Bollaram Vijaysen Reddy observed that prima facie, no case was made out against Chandrashekhar Rao. The judge also quizzed the public prosecutor asking if a person was not present physically, how could he obstruct public authorities from performing their duties or be part of an unlawful assembly.

The judge also wondered how Prevention Of Damage To Public Property Act, 1984 (PDPP Act) was attracted against a person who was absent physically and remarked that the police action amounted to abuse of the process of law.

A Prabhakar Rao, appearing on behalf of Chandrashekhar Rao, contended tha, during the separation movement, the call was given by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC).

Even according to the allegations raised in the FIR, K Kavitha, president of Telangana Jagruthi and 39 others participated in the Rail Roko protest at Moulali and Chandrashekhar Rao was not involved. No evidence was placed in the chargesheet to attract offences against Chandrashekar Rao, he said, adding that the polie had filed a chargesheet in 2023, splitting the case, and showing Chandrashekhar Rao as absconding.

The case is also coming up before the Judicial First Class Magistrate for Excise cases, Hyderabad as the court was designated to deal with cases pertaining to MPs and MLAs.

Though Public Prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao attempted to convince the court to not pass any orders in the favour of Chandrashekhar Rao, the court granted a stay in the case with the judge posting the case to July 23 for further hearing.