Law to punish Telangana baiters

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday signed a file which gives discretion to the state government to initiate action directly against those indulging in criminal intimidation under sections 506 and 507 of the Indian Penal Code.

Now, the police on their own can book a criminal case under the said sections even if there is no complaint filed.

The move is aimed at checking Opposition leaders and media levelling allegations and charges against the Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and the TRS government.

Earlier, the police had to file a petition in the court and seek approval to file cases against those indulging in such offences under sections 506 and 507 of the IPC.

KCR had warned government critics
The Chief Minister had announced several times in the Assembly and during press conferences that the government would not tolerate if baseless allegations were levelled against the government and such persons would have to prove the charges or go to jail.

The Opposition Congress, TD, BJP and Left party leaders had been making charges of massive corruption in the redesigning of irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya and power projects. They were also accusing the CM and his family members of “looting” the state exchequer. Some media organisations also published reports levelling graft allegations against the TRS government.

The then Telugu Desam firebrand A. Revanth Reddy, who is now with the Congress, had been levelling serious graft allegations against the CM and his family members since the TRS government came into power in June 2014. Recently, he also abused health minister C. Laxma Reddy in front of the media, and came in for sharp criticism from ruling party leaders.