Hyderabad: Noting that the re-arrest of three Lagacharla farmers and a car driver from a nearby tribal thanda by Bomraspet police within 24 hours of their release on bail in the Lagacharla violence case requires examination, Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana high court directed the jail superintendent to release all four accused after taking personal bonds from them.
He instructed the superintendent of Kandi Central Prison in Sangareddy district to release them upon receiving a personal bond of Rs 25,000 from each accused. The judge also directed the public prosecutor to file a counter in the matter and posted the case for further hearing on Feb 12.
This interim direction was issued after the court heard a criminal petition filed by the four accused—Mudavath Ramesh, Mudavath Gopal Naik, Mythari Madhraiah, and Pathlavath Mangya Naik. They challenged the remand order issued by the magistrate after their production before him in a second FIR related to the same incident, which was filed just one day after they had secured bail in the first FIR.
The accused were arrested in the first FIR on Nov 16, 2024, and were released on bail on Jan 8, 2025. However, they were re-arrested on Jan 9, in connection with another FIR registered on the basis of statements provided by some witnesses.
Justice Lakshman recalled that he had previously quashed two FIRs in the same case when the first accused had approached the court. He noted that the first FIR could be continued, and if new facts emerged—such as witness statements—these could be added to the probe material related to the first chargesheet.
The public prosecutor presented statements from two witnesses implicating the petitioners in the Lagacharla violence. After reviewing the statements, the judge remarked that while the witnesses named the petitioners, they did not specify their actions at the crime scene. The judge concluded that the matter required further examination and ordered the release of the four accused.
