Telangana drops charges on K Chandrasekhar Rao, revokes

Hyderabad: In a dramatic development, the Telangana state revoked its own order to drop criminal cases against TRS supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao, caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao, Professor Kodandaram and 136 other politicians, who were booked by the Railway police during the agitation for a separate state.

However, within 24 hours of the government ordering the Railway police, which falls under the Central government, to drop the charges, another circular was issued on Tuesday stating that the first order was revoked.

It should be noted that the filing of nominations for the Assembly elections will intensity from November 14 with TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and top guns in the political establishment filing their papers.

The cases booked against politicians are significant as details of every criminal case filed against them has to be mentioned in their affidavit. With the earlier order to drop the cases, the burden of mentioning them would have decreased, but now that the order has been revoked, politicians will have to list the cases against them.

The government requested the prosecuting officer concerned to take necessary action for withdrawal of prosecution against the accused persons.

In a dramatic development, the Government of Telangana state revoked its own order to drop criminal cases against TRS supremo K. Chandrashekar Rao, caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao, Professor Kodandaram and 136 other politicians, who were booked by the Railway police during the Telangana agitation.

The first order that stands cancelled now, stated: ‘The government, after careful examination of the matter and keeping in view the judgement of the Supreme Court in Rajendra Kumar Jain Vs. The State through Special Police Establishment & Others (AIR 1980 SC 1510) and in exercise of the powers conferred under section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974) have decided to withdraw the said cases pending on the file of the  II MM for railways Court’.

The second order stated: ‘In view of the Modle Code of Conduct in force, the orders issued in the GOs. for withdrawal of prosecution in several Crime Numbers, are kept in abeyance until further orders.’

The people against whom cases were withdrawn are BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya, caretaker minister for power G Jagadeeshawar Reddy, and Nayani Narasimha Reddy among others.

An officer with the Railway police said, “We have not received the latest orders. Nevertheless, the Railway police had submitted the case details booked against politicians. If the cases are withdrawn the TRS would have  taken  the advantage however now that it is revoked.”