HC directs MP Dharmapuri Arvind to face trial in SC/ST case

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday directed Dharmapuri Arvind, the BJP MP from Nizamabad, to face trial in an SC, ST case registered against him in Madannapet PS, Hyderabad. It did so by vacating its earlier order given on January 5, 2022, where the Chief Justice had directed the police not to take any coercive action against the MP.

The order was given by a single-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan.

As per case details, Bangaru Sailoo, a social worker from Nizamabad, filed a complaint at the Madannapet PS on January 2, 2022, stating that the MP demeaned the SCs, and STs by making derogatory comments against SCs in a press conference on October 31, 2021, in front of Chanchalguda jail, after the MP met Teenmar Mallanna inside the jail.

Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case under Section 3(1)(7) of SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which is a non-bailable offence.

During an earlier hearing, the Chief Justice advised the MP to be more careful during public meetings and restrain himself from uttering such words. The MP had allegedly protested against ‘bogus SC, ST cases’ during the press conference. Arvind had filed a criminal petition in the High Court seeking a quashing of the FIR.

Upon the request of the counsel for the MP, Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan kept today’s order in abeyance for 30 days to enable the petitioner to avail of an alternate remedy.