AP government response in cockfight case irks Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday expressed its willingness to issue notices to TV channels, directing them to share their footage of cockfights during Sankranti with the AP government.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi made this observation when AP advocategeneral D. Srinivas, submitted that all TV channels, except one, have not responded to the government’s notices to share TV footage of cockfights in the state.

The bench was dealing with a PIL by Kalidindi Ramchandra Raju, a native of West Godavari district, seeking to declare the inaction of AP officials in curbing the unauthorised gaming, illegal sale of liquor and prostitution at seasonal Sankranti festival at Vempa-Srirampuram villages as illegal.

When the AG submitted that they have identified an elected representative in West Godavari district who had organised the cockfights with the footage furnished by only one TV channel, ACJ wondered “Did you see only one representative in the entire district when everyone including myself watched on TV channels that scores of elected representatives right from MPTC to ministers have participated in cock fights .But you seen only one MLA! It is nothing but mockery to the court orders.”

The bench told the AG that it appears that official machinery is not providing the full information to him and in such case the court will direct the DGP to file a sworn affidavit.

The AG, however, said that they are not intending to escape from the case and urged the court give one more chance to get footage from all TV channels to identify the representatives participated in cockfights.

While granting two weeks time, the bench adjourned the case.