Telangana High Court quashes FIRs against Lagacherla farmers

The case relates to a visit by the District Collector and other district officials to Lagacherla village in connection with a land acquisition inquiry, during which they were allegedly obstructed and attacked

Hyderabad: In yet another embarrassment to the Congress government on Monday, after the NHRC report highlighted police torture of Lagacherla villagers, Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court on Monday quashed two additional First Information Reports (FIRs) registered in connection with the Lagacherla land acquisition incident.

The petitions were filed by several farmers named as accused in FIR Nos. 154 and 155 registered in 2024 by the Bomraspet police, seeking to set aside the proceedings initiated against them. Among the petitioners was Bogamoni Suresh, who, along with others, argued that the registration of multiple FIRs arising out of the same incident was legally unsustainable.

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The case relates to a visit by the District Collector and other district officials to Lagacherla village in connection with a land acquisition inquiry, during which they were allegedly obstructed and attacked.

While FIR No. 153 had already been registered about the incident, the police subsequently registered two more FIRs, which were the subject of challenge before the High Court.

Allowing the petitions, Justice Lakshman held that the continuation of multiple FIRs for the same incident would amount to duplication of investigation and violate established legal principles. The court, however, clarified that any material or statements recorded during the investigation under FIR Nos. 154 and 155 could still be relied upon by the investigating authorities in the ongoing investigation related to FIR No. 153, which remains active. Accordingly, the case was disposed of.