MLA Poaching case: Telangana High Court asserts authority

Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court asserted that the High Court was the appropriate authority to decide on the course of action if the BJP's BL Santosh was not cooperating with SIT's notices served to him in connection with the MLA poaching case.

Hyderabad: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday asserted that the High Court was the appropriate authority to decide on the course of action if the BJP’s BL Santosh was not cooperating with the Special Investigation Team’s notices served to him in connection with the MLA poaching case.

The Judge was responding to a remark by the BJP counsel that the police could go before the ‘appropriate court’ if the accused was not cooperating. Advocate General BS Prasad, representing the State police and the Additional Solicitor General’s office, representing the Delhi Police, had informed the court that Santosh was not cooperating with the notices. The counsel then argued that the police could go before the appropriate court if the accused was not cooperating. It was then that the Judge asked who else was the appropriate authority when this court had passed the necessary orders.

---

The AG argued that the investigation process could be hampered if such delaying tactics were permitted. The Judge wondered why the accused wanted to complicate the case without acting appropriately.

Directing them to submit their responses, the Judge said he would take the matter as the first case on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Judge directed the Advocate General to place before him the order of the Supreme Court with regard to the MLA poaching case. Informing that the orders were yet to be obtained, the AG told the court that the Division Bench order of the Telangana High Court was set aside. He also informed the judge that there was a specific direction to the court to dispose of the MLA poaching case before it within four weeks. On further enquiry by the judge, the AG informed that the accused had moved the Supreme Court challenging the continuation of the investigation by the Special Investigation Team. He said that in a different case, the remand order of the single judge was challenged and orders were passed in that case too.

The Judge also asked the BJP party counsel how he could entertain the fresh stay applications filed by them if the apex court had ordered final disposal of the case.