Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday was not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to veteran actor M. Mohan Babu in the FIR registered for an alleged attack on a journalist.
However, the court directed the filing of counters and adjourned further hearing to December 23.
Justice K. Lakshman on Thursday was hearing the anticipatory bail application of the former MP in connection with charges of attacking a reporter on a local TV channel. Mohan Babu stated that the alteration of the charge against him from grievous hurt to “attempt to murder” was only to duck the law as laid down by the Supreme Court in the Arnab Kumar case.
Senior counsel L. Ravichander pointed out that the alteration memo referred to the investigating officer “re-recording” the statement of the victim. No reasons are mentioned in the said memo. He pointed out that this was an act intended to somehow arrest the petitioner.
Enuganti Sudanshu Rao, who appeared on behalf of the journalist Ranjith Kumar, said that the injury sustained by his client was grievous and near-fatal. He also said that even the original provision under which the accused was booked would not entail him to an automatic anticipatory bail. The public prosecutor pointed out that this was a clear case of knowledge if not intent of action leading to an “attempt to murder”.
During the hearing, the court asked ‘Is actor out of the country?’.
The judge directed both the petitioner and the victim to file an affidavit about the whereabouts of the petitioner. The matter will be heard on Monday.
