IAS officer’s counsel presents arguments in HC

Case pertains to Jagan’s ‘disproportionate assets’

CBI had not moved the courts challenging the State government’s decision rejecting prosecution of IAS officer D. Muralidhar Reddy in Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s ‘disproportionate assets’ case, said the officer’s counsel on Tuesday before Justice Ujjal Bhuyan in Telangana High Court.

The IAS officer filed petition in the HC seeking a direction to quash the FIR issued against him by the CBI in Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets case. Presenting arguments, the petitioner’s counsel Shivaraju Srinivas said State government’s permission was mandatory for prosecution of a government officer under section 197 of Criminal Procedure Code.

The CBI had sought permission of the Central government to prosecute the officer under Prevention of Corruption Act. But even the Centre did not give any permission stating that Mr. Reddy was not conferred IAS by then and it was for the State government to take a call on the matter, the lawyer said.