Centre cancel citizenship of TRS MLA, says he is German'

Hyderabad: The Union Home Ministry has reportedly submitted a report to the Supreme Court stating that the Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA from Vemulavada, Channamaneni Ramesh, had been a German citizen and obtained Indian citizenship by submitting fake documents and simultaneously cancelled his Indian citizenship.

Mr Ramesh was elected for the first time from Vemulavada Assembly segment on a TD ticket in 2009. Later he shifted his loyalties to the TRS and resigned his seat and contested and won from the same constituency as a TRS candidate in the 2010 byelection. 

Adi Srinivas, the unsuccessful Congress candidate, filed an election petition in the then AP High Court challenging Mr Ramesh’s election, alleging that he fraudulently obtained Indian citizenship by submitting fake documents about his residence in India. 

In 2013, the AP High Court quashed his election. Mr Ramesh then approached the apex court and obtained a stay. While the stay order was in operation, he contested the 2014 election on a TRS ticket and won again. Adi Srinivas then moved the apex court seeking vacation of stay orders. 

The court asked the Union Home Ministry to file a report on the contentious issue of Mr Ramesh’s citizenship and according to sources, on Tuesday, the Home Ministry submitted its report confirming that he did have German citizenship.

Should the court rely on the Union Home Ministry report which confirms Mr Ramesh’s German citizenship, and vacates the stay, the High Court verdict quashing his election will be effective. 

As per the Representation of People’s Act, no person who is not an Indian citizen is eligible to contest or vote in any election. 

In a statement issued late Tuesday night, Mr Ramesh said he is going to file a fresh petition with the Union Home Ministry for a revision of their report. 

He said from 1992 to 2009, he had done yeoman’s service for the people of Vemulavada, even though he was not their representative, and he is going to use every legal opportunity to challenge the Union Home Ministry report. He said it was an attempt to malign him in public by some vested interests.