Seethakka appears before Nampally Court in case linked to 2021 Covid-era protest

Hyderabad: Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka), appeared before the Special Judicial First Class Magistrate Court for Excise Cases at the Manoranjan Complex in Nampally on Thursday.

The Minister is facing charges related to an unauthorised protest held during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.

What is the case about?

The legal action stems from a demonstration held within the Gandhinagar Police Station limits in April 2021.

During that period, Seethakka, then an opposition MLA, led a protest demanding that the State government include Covid-19 treatment under the Rajiv Aarogyasri health scheme to assist poor families struggling with medical bills.

Because the protest was conducted during a statewide lockdown and without prior official permission, the Gandhinagar police registered a case under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

- Section 188: Disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant.

- Section 269: Negligent acts likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life.

- Section 270: Malignant acts likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life.

Court proceedings

During the hearing, defence counsel Krishna Kumar Goud argued that the protest was a democratic expression of public grievance aimed at saving lives during a health crisis. Assistant Public Prosecutor Anita Deshmukh represented the state’s position regarding the violation of pandemic safety protocols.

After considering the initial submissions, the court adjourned the case and directed the Minister to appear again for the next hearing scheduled for December 27.

Public and political presence

The Minister’s arrival at the Nampally court drew significant public interest. She was accompanied by several Congress leaders, including Sambasiva Rao and Arun Kumar. Despite the media presence, Seethakka maintained a low profile and departed shortly after the proceedings concluded.

Speaking on previous occasions regarding the case, Seethakka has maintained that her actions were driven by humanitarian concerns for the poor who were being ‘robbed of their lifetime savings’ by private hospital bills during the pandemic.