Court Issues Summons, KCR and Harish File Quash Petitions Against Lower Court Orders

Hyderabad: BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and former minister T. Harish Rao approached the Telangana High Court on Monday, challenging the summons for appearance by the Principal Sessions Court at Bhupalpally in a case that was registered based on a private complaint over damage caused to Medigadda barrage and misappropriation of public money.

As per the Sessions Court directions, both BRS leaders were to appear on December 27. They had not appeared before the court on earlier occasions.

Apprehending that the Sessions Court may order severe steps for their non-appearance, both of them filed a joint criminal petition before the High Court seeking to quash the orders for summons.

Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy, a resident of Bhupalpally, had filed a private complaint before the court of the Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of the first class at Jayashankar Bhupalpally seeking a direction to refer the complaint on the damage to the Medigadda barrage for an investigation to the Bhupalapally police under the Criminal Procedure Code Section 156 (3).

He stated that the two leaders were punishable under Sections 120-B, 420, 386, 406, and 409 of the IPC, referring to criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and cheating. But, the court, after considering the matter, had dismissed the complaint on the ground that it did not have jurisdiction as it was only the special court for trial of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Aggrieved by the same, Rajalingamurthy filed a revision petition before the Principal Sessions Judge, Jayashankar Bhupalapally. The court registry raised an objection that the court of sessions did not have jurisdiction to entertain the criminal revision petition; however, the matter was requested to be posted before the judge for a decision.

When the complaint was placed before the court, the Principal Sessions Court admitted the complaint and issued notices to Chandrashekar Rao, Harish Rao and others. Later, the summons were issued.

Rajalingamurthy cited the sinking of the piers of Medigadda in October 2023, and the visit of officials of National Dam Safety Authority. He contended that the respondents had misappropriated public money.