HC: Former BRS MLA Ramana Reddy seeks quashing of FIR against him

Hyderabad: On Thursday, the Telangana High Court Single Bench of Justice K Sujana recused from hearing the petition filed by former BRS MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, from Bhupalapally District, seeking a direction to quash the proceedings of a case filed against him and others in Bhupalapally police station on January 16, 2024.

Justice K Sujana directed the registry to place the criminal petition before the concerned Judge, who adjudicates matters concerning Members of Parliament (MPs) or Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

Venkata Ramana Reddy and seven others have been accused of encroaching two acres of Cheruvu Shikam land (Gorentla Kunta) in Pulluri Ramaiahpally village, Bhupalpally Mandal and in connivance with the Bhupalapally tahsildar and resorting to illegal construction of a temple and commercial property on the said property.

Further, the former MLA has been accused of convincing the Bhupalapally district collector to get a sanction of Rs 1 crore under DMFT funds for the said work.

The case was registered against the former MLA and others after the Judicial First Class Magistrate at Bhupalapally referred the case to PS Bhupalapally to register the case on a private complaint preferred by N Rajalingamurthy. Based on directions from the trial court, the police registered an FIR under Sections 386, 406, 409, 420, 447, 506, read with 120(B) of IPC, and Section 3(2)(a) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1954.

The criminal petition will come up for hearing before Justice K Lakshman soon.