Proceedings against I-T raid team member in Malla Reddy’s house stayed

DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, NOV. 25

Justice Kasoju Surender of Telangana High Court on Friday stayed by four weeks, proceedings in a case filed against income-tax deputy director C.M.D. Ratnakar, who was part of the team that raided properties owned by minister Ch. Malla Reddy, his aides and relatives.

Dr Bhadra Reddy, son of Malla Reddy, on behalf of his brother Mahendar Reddy, alleged in a complaint to the Bowenpally police that his brother was forced to sign some papers by the officer. Based on the complaint, police had booked a case against Ratnakar. The official approached the High Court for quashing the FIR.

T. Surya Karan Reddy, additional solicitor general, and B. Narasimha Sharma, counsel for the income-tax department, arguing on behalf of Ratnakar, submitted that the action of the officers did not constitute an offence under Section 383 of IPC (extortion) on a bare reading of the complaint.

They brought to the notice of the court that Section 132 of Income Tax Act, empowered the department officers to conduct searches and that Ratnakar was discharging his official duties at Palm Meadows, Kompally, on November 22.

Public prosecutor C. Pratap Reddy contended that the action of the IT officer was beyond his discharge of official duty and taht Mahendar Reddy’s statement was recorded under coercion.