HC stays lower court's summons issued to Cyberabad CP, Pet Basheerabad inspector

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan granted stay on the proceedings on the file of the court of the Judicial Magistrate of First Class Prohibition and Excise Court cum II Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Mahaboobnagar, and adjourned the criminal petition.

The lower court had registered criminal cases against Excise and Prohibition minister V. Srinivas Goud, CP Cyberabad, DCP Balanagar, Sandeep Rao, and 17 other police personnel for wrongly kidnapping and confining Bhandekar Vishwanath and C. Raghavendra Raju for alleged conspiracy to kill the Excise minister.

The Chief Justice was hearing a criminal petition filed by Mutyala Stephen Ravindra, the Cyberabad commissioner of police, and Shagani Ramesh, circle inspector, Pet Basheerabad police station, seeking a stay on the summons issued by the lower court, including their appearance before it.

The lower court issued summons to Cyberabad CP and the inspector of police on a private complaint filed by Bhandekar Pushpalatha, the wife of Mr. Bhandekar Vishwanath who, according to the police, tried to kill Mr. Srinivas Goud.

The matter has been adjourned to 2 December.

HC keen to develop transgender community

On Tuesday, a Telangana High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V Bhaskar Reddy heard a public interest litigation filed by Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, a social activist from Attapur, Hyderabad, seeking free rations, food, and provisions, including vegetables and fruits to members of the transgender community from ration shops and also from other outlets without a ration card.

Further, the PIL wanted the HC to direct the state government to provide free medicines to transgender persons, including HIV medications, hormone therapy medicines, diabetes and other medications at primary health centres and government and public hospitals.

Moreover, it also asked the court to direct the state government to allow transgender persons to apply for and provide three months social security pension under the Aasara scheme and to provide free LPG cylinders and waive electricity bill for six months in the lines similar to the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana.

Counsel for petitioner Jayna Kothari informed the court that as per the committee report of the member secretary, around 58,900 transgenders are living in Telangana under vulnerable conditions. The state government has to consider the transgender community by implementing the Aasra pensions.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed concern about the transgender community and said they are extremely vulnerable and that they are also part of society.

GP Radhiv informed the court that the member secretary's report did not mention anything about Aasra pensions for the transgender community.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed that the time has come to change our mindset. We have to do something in favour of the community at large, the CJ said and asked for suggestions to develop the transgender community.

For further hearing, the CJ directed the registry to list the matter for 19 October.