Lepakshi Knowledge Hub scam: TS HC sets aside CBI proceedings against IAS officer Muralidhar Reddy

Telangana high court has set aside CBI proceedings against IAS officer Dereddy Muralidhar Reddy in the Lepakshi Knowledge Hub scam.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan restrained CBI from proceeding against Dereddy Muralidhar Reddy in connection with the Lepakshi Knowledge Hub scam related to Jagan Mohan Reddy disproportionate assets case.

Justice Bhuyan was hearing a quash petition filed by Dereddy Muralidhar Reddy. He had sought to quash the case which he termed as an abuse of law.

The case dates back to 2011 when Muralidhar Reddy was serving as Managing Director of AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

The case details reveal that Syam Prasad Reddy of Indu Projects was granted 9,000 acres in Anantapur for developing the hub. Muralidhar Reddy was charged with unduly granting NOC to Prasad for raising loans.

The petitions were filed by former MLA P. Shankar Rao, and late MP Yerran Naidu in 2011 alleging corruption against former CM late YSR, his son, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and others sought an investigation into corruption charges by CBI.

On August 10, 2011, the High Court of AP directed the CBI to investigate the allegations. On September 17, 2013, the CBI filed a final charge sheet and named 14 persons as accused. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and V. Vijaya Sai Reddy were named accused no. 1 and 2, and Dereddy Muralidhar Reddy was named accused no. 12.

In the charge sheet, the CBI alleged that both YSR and his son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had adopted several ingenious ways to amass illegal wealth resulting in public injury.

After hearing Petitioner's Advocate Sivaraju Srinivas and Special Public Prosecutor, CBI K. Surender, Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday set aside all the proceedings against Dereddy Muralidhar Reddy and quashed the case.

"Consequently, a criminal petition is allowed. Miscellaneous petitions pending in this criminal petition shall stand closed," Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said in the order.