HC reserves order in TS Congress War Room case

Hyderabad: A Telangana High Court Single Bench of Justice K. Surender on Friday reserved orders in the criminal petition filed by Sunil Kanugolu, a political strategist hired by the Telangana Congress party and in charge of "Congress War Room."

The criminal petition sought to quash the proceedings filed by the cyber crime police station, Hyderabad and all consequential proceedings, including the investigation and notices under Section 41A of the CrPC.

Mr. Kanugolu is due to appear before the cyber crime police, CCS Hyderabad on 8 January 2023 for questioning.

C.V Mohan Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that Mr. Kanugolu is a member of the National Task Force of the Indian National Congress, and he is in no way connected to the purported Scoop Video that surfaced on Facebook.

"Telangana Galam" in which Chief Minister KCR, MLC K. Kavitha, and minister K.T Rama Rao were portrayed as comedians. If one is so sensitive, he cannot be in politics, Mr. Mohan Reddy averred before the court.

Mr. Kanugolu is a political strategist hired by the Indian National Congress party. He lives and works in New Delhi and has nothing to do with the Congress War Room in Hyderabad, he further informed the court.

Further, Mr. Kanugolu is not connected to the incident where the cyber crime police, CCS Hyderabad raided the war room at Madhapur, Mr. Mohan Reddy said. The senior counsel submitted before the court that Mr. Kanugolu is not named as an accused (A-1) in the FIR. The notice under Section 41A of the CrPC was also not served to him, rather it was served to Mallu Ravi, senior Congress leader and former MP, he added.

The state counsel was questioned by Justice K. Surender as to why Mr. Kanugolu was not included in the FIR as A-1. The state counsel informed the court that Mr. Kanugolu does not stay in Hyderabad but lives in New Delhi.

Mr. Kanugolu has been issued a notice under Section 41A of the CrPC directing him to appear on 8 January 2023.

Justice K. Surender, after hearing both sides, reserved his orders.