Betting App Case Accused Shyamala Approaches HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court was not inclined to give immediate relief to anchor and YSRC spokesperson Shyamala Reddy in the case related to promoting betting apps on social media, and asked her to appear before the Punjagutta police on Monday.

The court, however, directed the police to follow the procedure and the guidelines of the apex court in investigating the case.

The Panjagutta police had registered an FIR against Shyamala Reddy on March 17 on a complaint of Vinay Vagala who alleged that several mobile applications and websites were promoting illegal gambling in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1876,

Challenging the FIR, Shyamala Reddy had approached the Telangana High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.

Justice N. Tukaramji of the Telangana High Court on Friday heard the petition and directed the police to adhere to Section 35 of BNSS (Section 41A of the CrPC) in the investigation.

The police had asked Shyamala Reddy to appear on Friday. She complained to the court that the police were violating the procedure. The court was not inclined to stay the investigation and instructed the petitioner to cooperate with the investigation officer and appear before the Punjagutta police on Monday.

Shyamala Reddy said she was a YSRC spokesperson, actress, anchor, and model, and that the case against her was baseless. She contended that the FIR was a clear abuse of legal process and has been initiated based on assumptions and presumptions without any substantial evidence linking her to the alleged betting activities.

She also pointed out that the complaint did not accuse her of defrauding the complainant or the public but had been implicated as Accused No. 3.

Syamala Reddy claimed asserted that the FIR had been filed with malicious intent, possibly to damage her political career. She said that the case lacked documentary and oral evidence and that no aggrieved person had come forward with allegations against her.