HC issues notices to govt on pleas to quash FIRs against Nalla Balu over X posts on CM Revanth

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court issued notices to State government and the complainant MA Wasim Akram, police constable in two petitions filed by Nalla Balu, who allegedly posted defamatory and derogatory comments on his X (formerly Twitter) account against chief minister A Revanth Reddy, and directed them to respond to the notices by June 25.

A Single Bench of Justice N Tukaramji on Thursday issued the notices.

What were the ‘defamatory’ posts?

Nalla Balu alias Durgam Shashidar Goud, a resident of Patancheru, Sangareddy District, on his X account made posts with caption, “No Vision, No Mission.. only 20% Commission!.. this is how the 15-month rule of the Revanth Reddy led Congress Government is in Telangana State,” and “Congress is the scourge of the State!... if the field is affected by the pest, the people will be disturbed.”

The complainant in his complaint stated that the petitioner Nalla Balu's content against the chief minister is defamatory and demeaning, which was copied by the petitioner from the BRS party Twitter account and posted the same text on Twitter by changing the photograph with that of CM A Revanth Reddy.

Two FIRs were registered against the petitioner. The counsel for the petitioner argued that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in both cases, and the FIRs registered against him do not disclose the commission of any offence.

The petitioner further citing a Supreme Court Judgment contended that in such type of cases, complaint should be lodged by an officer in-charge of the PS, that too with the prior approval of the superior officer and the said police officer is also empowered to conduct a preliminary inquiry and the punishment, if proved, is punishable for 3 years or more but less than 7 years.

The petitioner filed a criminal petition seeking the quashing of two FIRs registered against him.

For counter affidavits, the matter was adjourned to June 25.