HC questions cops for inaction on Red Sanders smuggler

Hyderabad: Justice B. Siva Sankara Rao of the Hyderabad High Court on Friday found fault with the Kurnool police for its failure to declare alleged red sanders smuggler Kollam Gangi Reddy a proclaimed offender.

The judge was dealing with a plea by the Kurnool district police seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Gangi Reddy in a red sanders smuggling case. Gangi Reddy also happens to be an accused in the criminal assault on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at Alipiri in 2003.

The counsel for the public prosecutor informed the court that after obtaining bail from the High Court on May 15, 2014, the accused is believed to have fled to Dubai on May 18. The notice of bail cancellation was served to his wife.

In response, the judge demanded to know why the police had failed to initiate steps to declare the accused as a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code when they had information about the absconding accused.

The judge posted the next hearing to July 7 after the counsel sought time.