Telangana High Court Quashes Criminal Case Against Deputy CM Bhatti and Minister Uttam
High Court of Telangana sets aside FIR filed in 2021 Congress rally against farm laws, and fuel hikes, on grounds that no offence, provocation of speech or disturbance was evidenced. The Deputy CM, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy are cleared.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed the criminal case filed against then Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy in 2021 in a landmark order. Lakshman, the justice, said that there was not enough evidence which the prosecution could provide to prove its charges and the extension of the case was an unnecessary prolongation of a legal process.
The origin of the case was a congress led rally in January 2021 where both leaders took part in protest marches calling to repeal three central farm laws and to lower fuel prices. The demonstration was to start close to the old Secretariat, move through Lumbini Park and end at Raj Bhavan. The leaders were charged with organizing the protest without intimating the police and causing traffic inconvenience at the Telugu Talli Junction there was a police lawsuit acted by authorities where a suo motu FIR was filed.
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Justice Lakshman in his verdict, highlighted there was no evidence of provocative speeches, inciting violence and causing actions that would disrupt the flow of peace and social stability that would be evidence against the petitioners. In the absence of such roots of evidence, the court was of the view that it would be a misapplication of judicial process to sustain the criminal case.
This ruling will provide legal reprieve to the two senior Congress leaders and this will strengthen the doctrine that dels that criminal litigation can not be maintained without any impeccable chorister evidence. It emphasizes protection of the due process by the court and a misapplication of criminal statutes to punish political speech or association.
This ruling is a major legal triumph to Bhatti and Uttam who were in the court challenging the FIR on the basis that the matter was unwarranted. The rejection by the court agrees with their argument that the claims did not have legal ground.
The verdict also sends a strong signal regarding how the judiciary places checks and balances on the law enforcement practices particularly in the politically contentious situations. With legal issues increasing along state politics, the ruling can become an example of rejecting some politically based or procedurally thin cases.
