Poachgate: Telangana High Court to pronounce verdict today

Hyderabad: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Monday reserved his verdict on the locus of the BJP party, Telangana for pronouncement on Tuesday. The judge was dealing with a batch of writ petitions filed by the BJP Party and three accused in the MLA poaching case. It may be recalled that […]

Hyderabad: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Monday reserved his verdict on the locus of the BJP party, Telangana for pronouncement on Tuesday.

The judge was dealing with a batch of writ petitions filed by the BJP Party and three accused in the MLA poaching case. It may be recalled that Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, a priest from Faridabad in Haryana; Simhayaji, pontiff of Srimanatha Raja Peetham in Tirupati; and Nandakumar, owner of a restaurant in Hyderabad were accused of luring four TRS MLAs to join the BJP.

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Additional Advocate General (AAG), J Ramachandra Rao pointed out to the accused in the case and questioned how the BJP was related to accused in the Moinabad farmhouse case. Neither the BJP nor the secretary Premender Reddy were implicated to challenge the case, the AAG stressed. In the Bommavarapu Kavita case, the Supreme Court had held even well wishes are strangers and no way connected to the accused. The accused have threatened TRS MLAs with cases by the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, the CBI is under the control of union home department, the AAG said. Now the BJP wants investigation by the CBI. Moreover in the Arnab Goswami judgement, the Supreme Court held accused cannot decide the investigation agency, the AAG pointed out. He said, The police have ample powers to register a crime as the offences are cognizable and attracts Representation of Peoples Act.

Udaya Holla, Senior Advocate from Karnataka High Court representing the accused argued that technical reasons cannot be considered when life and liberty are concerned. The police briefing to media affects the public opinion, even the Chief Minister held a press conference, he said. Selective disclosure of facts casts a serious doubt on the investigation, the issue has national ramifications therefore the directions for investigation by CBI is reasonable he argued. As the counsel was representing the accused he sought to pass orders deferring investigation. Representing the BJP, senior counsel J Prabhakar said, the complaint reads that the persons belonging to the BJP has approached the MLAs and asked what more was required to have locus.

On enquiring about the status of case filed in the Supreme Court on same incident, the AAG replied that the case was adjourned to Monday. The judge sought the details of the Supreme Court case from the AAG. Giving all parties an opportunity for a detailed hearing the judge reserved the case for orders.