Hyderabad court orders issue of notice to Telangana Chief Minister in defamation case

Court orders notices to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in a defamation case filed by BJP State general secretary

A local court here on Wednesday passed an order to issue notices to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party’s State general secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu.

The Special Judicial First Class Magistrate for Excise Cases at Hyderabad, in an order, said the notice to Mr. Reddy should be issued under Section 204 of Criminal Procedure Code by September 25. The Special JFCM said in the order that a case was made out against the Chief Minister under Sections 499 (defamation) and 125 of the Peoples Representation Act.

On examination of the statements of Mr. Venkateshwarlu and another person, Ajay Kumar, in addition to the complaint and the material placed before the court, it was felt that prima facie a case was made out against Mr. Revanth Reddy, the order said. On May 24, the BJP general secretary filed a criminal complaint before a local court accusing Mr. Revanth Reddy of making false and baseless allegations that the BJP was going to abolish reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.

According the BJP leader, the Chief Minister made the allegations during Lok Sabha election meeting convened at Prakasam stadium in Kothagudem town of Bhadradri Kothagudem district on May 4. He alleged that Mr. Revanth Reddy said that BJP would do away with reservation if it came to power again in 2024.

When the matter came up for hearing first time on May 17, the Magistrate adjourned it to May 22. It was heard again on May 24 only to be adjourned to July 3 on the ground that the de facto complainant was absent. Challenging this adjournment order of the trial court, the petitioner knocked the doors of Telangana High Court by filing a criminal petition.

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the High Court disposed of the petition directing the Special JFCM to decide the complaint in accordance with law as soon as possible. Following the High Court direction, the Magistrate heard the petition again and ordered notices to Mr. Revanth Reddy.