Revanth Reddy knocks HC door for security

Stating that he was apprehending threat to his life from real estate tycoon Jupally Rameshwar Rao and leaders of ruling party of Telangana, Malkajgiri Lok Sabha member A. Revanth Reddy moved Telangana High Court seeking direction to Union Home Ministry to enhance security to him.

Mr. Reddy said in his writ petition that after getting elected as MP in 2019, he addressed a letter to Union Home Minister for protection by any independent agency other than State agency since he had threat from Mr. Rao and others. The Union Home Minister, he claimed, had written back on August 28, 2019 saying the request was under consideration.

Special circumstances

Despite the ‘specific reply’ by the Union Home Minister, the Union Home Secretary failed to respond to provide security, the petitioner said. This was arbitrary, he said. Though security was State subject, the Centre can provide protection under special circumstances, the petitioner said.

Mr. Reddy listed out the various writ petitions and PIL petitions he had filed in the HC over his security and the issues he had taken up against the State government. He explained about the petitions he had filed against Mr. Rao stating that the latter was a close associate of present government.

He sought a direction to the Union Home Secretary to expedite the process of taking a call on providing security to him based on the letter issued by Union Home Minister.

Contempt of court

In a separate case, Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao sentenced three Forest Department officials to undergo two-month simple imprisonment and pay a fine of ₹ 20,000 each, holding them guilty in a contempt of court case.

The order was suspended for four weeks facilitating the convicted officers, Mancherial Divisional Forest Officer D. Ramalingam, Bellampally Forest Range Officer Vijay Kumar Sahal and Bellampally Deputy Range Officer Satish Kumar to file an appeal.