Telangana high court asks about BJP leader case

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday directed the police to submit a status report about the investigation done so far in the case filed against BJP leader P. Muralidhar Rao and eight others at the Saroornagar police station that they had cheated a city resident by promising a nominated post at the Centre.

Justice Rajasheker Reddy was dealing with the petition by Ms Talla Pravarna Reddy, wife of Mr Mahipal Reddy, urging the court to direct the police to conduct a proper investigation and take action against Mr Muralidhar Rao and  the other eight accused. She alleged that the police had been delaying the probe.

She said she and her husband were cheated by the accused who had promised that they could secure for Mr Mahipal Reddy a nominated post as chairperson of PharmaExil (Pharmaceuti-cals Export Promotion Council of India). They pretended that they had sent the proposal for his nomination to the Union commerce ministry, then headed by Ms Nirmala Sitharaman who is now finance minister.

She complained that one Krishna Kishore, who said he was an aide of Mr Muralidhar Rao and five others had taken `2.17 crore for the job.

Based on directions from a lower court, police lodged FIR against the accused persons in March. The petitioner approached the High Court by stating that the investigation has not been completed so far and it appeared that the police had no intention to file the chargesheet.

Mr Gadipally Malla Reddy, counsel for the police, submitted that the investigation authorities had examined three witnesses and had been waiting for relevant documents.

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that they had submitted all the evidence to the investigation officials. The court directed the police to submit the status report about the investigation within four weeks.