Hyderabad: Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court accepted a writ plea by a journalist on his alleged illegal overnight detention and forced recording of an apology video by police officials in Suryapet. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by Shaik Rahmath Ali, seeking to declare the action of the police as arbitrary, unlawful and violative of the Constitution. The petitioner contended that he was detained without authority, denied access to medication and coerced into making the apology video under mental pressure and intimidation. He further alleged that the video was subsequently leaked on social media, resulting in severe reputational harm, professional damage and psychological trauma, ultimately compelling him to compromise with certain political leaders. During the hearing, the judge noted that although the petitioner claimed to be a journalist, no accreditation issued by the Press Council of India was placed on record. The judge accordingly directed the petitioner to file the accreditation certificate before the next date of hearing and posted the matter to be listed next week.
ACB assures HC it will act as per law
Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court disposed of a writ plea filed by a government employee seeking protection from alleged coercive action by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), despite her pending explanation to a show-cause notice issued on the basis of a complaint lodged by her estranged husband. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by Divya Jyothi Gurappa, who contended that she faced matrimonial litigation, including a divorce case and a child custody petition, filed by her husband before the family court. During the pendency of those proceedings, her husband lodged a complaint before the ACB, allegedly with false allegations. Based on this complaint, the ACB issued a showcause notice on March 3, to which the petitioner submitted a reply. She sought a direction stating that the authorities were threatening to take coercive steps without considering her explanation or following due legal procedure. During the hearing, ACB’s Standing Counsel produced a copy of an FIR registered against the petitioner under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The said provision deals with the offence of taking undue advantage to influence a public servant. It was clarified before the court that the investigation would be carried out strictly as per law. Taking note of the submissions, the judge dispensed with the notice to the petitioner’s husband and directed the investigating officer to proceed with the investigation as per the procedure laid down under law.
HC orders job for land oustee’s son
Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the Telangana High Court directed the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation and other authorities to appoint a land oustee son as a security guard in the Kakatiya Thermal Power Project (KTPP), in accordance with the recruitment notification dated April 22, 2013. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by L. Ravi Kumar, who sought a direction after being denied employment despite his father having voluntarily parted with 0.20 acres of agricultural land in Survey No. 1144 of Chelpur Village, Warangal district, for the KTPP project. The father agreed to the acquisition on the assurance that his son would be considered for employment under the land loser quota. Despite fulfilling all eligibility requirements and submitting necessary documents like the land loser certificate and no earning member certificate, the petitioner was not considered for appointment. Though he was allowed to appear for the physical measurement and efficiency tests following the High Court’s interim order, his name was omitted from the selection list. The respondents contended that the petitioner failed to apply within the prescribed time and that his name did not appear in the District Selection Committee’s list. The judge held that the rejection based on non-submission of application and documents was unsustainable, especially since the petitioner participated in the selection process under court orders and submitted documents before the DSC meeting held on February 24, 2014. Referring to the policy laid down in the government order dated April 15, 1986, the judge held that the petitioner, whose land was acquired for the project, was entitled to employment under the land loser quota. In light of the vacancy information received under the RTI Act showing available posts in KTPP, the judge directed the respondent authorities to issue an appointment order to the petitioner.
HC grants bail in marriage pretext case
Justice J. Sreenivas Rao of the Telangana High Court granted bail to a 21-year-old student accused of cheating a woman on the pretext of marriage. The judge was hearing a criminal petition filed by Kore Raj Kumar, who was arrested on June 7 and has been in judicial custody since. According to the prosecution, the petitioner and the complainant were neighbours and had known each other for over three years. The complainant alleged that after he proposed marriage and they became physically intimate, the petitioner later declined to marry her. Counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner was falsely implicated, that no ingredients of the alleged offence were made out and that he had no prior criminal record. The judge noted that 10 witnesses were examined and that a major part of the investigation was complete. Considering the overall circumstances, the judge enlarged the petitioner on conditional bail.
