Telangana High Court Dismisses BJP MP's Plea to Quash FIRs
The Telangana High Court, led by Justice Kunuru Lakshman, dismissed three criminal petitions filed by Dharmapuri Arvind, a BJP MP representing Nizamabad. Arvind sought to quash two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him at Banjara Hills Police Station and one FIR at Jubilee Hills Police Station. These cases were filed for allegedly making derogatory and unparliamentary remarks against the then Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).
The court denied Arvind’s plea for relief but allowed him to skip personal appearances in the trial court, except when summoned. Justice Lakshman examined complaints filed by individuals requesting police action against the MP for his comments during a press conference on November 8, 2021. The complainants argued that Arvind’s language insulted the dignity of the Chief Minister and incited hatred.
As a result, cases were registered in connection with these complaints under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 504, 505(2), and 506. These cases are currently pending before the Special Judicial First Class Magistrate for Excise in Hyderabad.
—
Court Grants Anticipatory Bail in Lagacharla Case
In a separate case, Justice Kunuru Lakshman granted anticipatory bail to six agriculturists accused in the “Lagacharla incident.” These individuals, residents of Lagacharla in Vikarabad district, were directed to appear before Bomraspet Police Station once a week and to cooperate with the investigation.
The accused faced charges related to obstructing officials from performing their duties during a land acquisition discussion on October 25. Officials, including the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and the district collector, were reportedly harmed during the altercation. The land was being acquired for establishing a Pharma City in the district.
Additionally, in a related petition, the court directed the police not to arrest Kavali Shekar, a retired army jawan and accused (A-33) in the same case. Shekar had sought a stay on proceedings related to FIR No. 153 of 2024. Justice Lakshman allowed the investigation to continue but barred Shekar’s arrest, disposing of the petition.
—
High Court Intervenes in Cheque Distribution Dispute
Justice T Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court addressed a petition filed by Kukatpally MLA Madhavaram Sivaiahgari Krishna Rao. The MLA alleged that authorities were excluding him from distributing government cheques to beneficiaries, as outlined in Government Orders (GOs) 18 and 25, issued in 2016. Instead, defeated candidates were reportedly involved in the distribution process.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that this exclusion violated the established policy, which mandates the participation of the elected constituency MLA. Justice Devi directed the authorities not to distribute cheques without the MLA’s involvement until December 23, 2024. The matter has been adjourned for further hearing on the same date.
—
These rulings highlight key decisions made by the Telangana High Court on cases involving political and administrative disputes.
