Telangana court issues summons to CM Revanth Reddy in BJP defamation case

Hyderabad: A special court here on Thursday issued summons to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asking him to appear personally before it on September 25 over a criminal defamation case filed by a BJP leader accusing him of making false and baseless allegations against the saffron party during the recent Lok Sabha election campaign.

The Special Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) for Excise Cases here, after considering the documents filed by the complainant and after examining the witnesses and hearing the arguments of the counsel for the complainant, issued summons to Reddy for offences under Sections 499, 171C, 171G, 153 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act to appear in person before the court on September 25.

Telangana BJP General Secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu had earlier filed a complaint in the Special JFCM for Excise cases, accusing the chief minister of making statements during an Lok Sabha election meeting in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on May 4 that the BJP, if voted to power, would change the Constitution and abolish reservations.

The petitioner claimed it was misleading and false and that the statement had defamed the party and party workers.

In the complaint, the BJP further claimed that the statements made by Reddy caused harm to the reputation of the party in the eyes of the voters, and making such "false statements with intent to unduly influence voters" amounts to election offences under the law.

After examination of the complainant and another person, and after going through the complaint and the statements and material placed before the Special JFCM for Excise cases, on August 21 it felt that a prima facie case is made out against the accused for the offence under section 499 of IPC and Section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act.

Earlier, after the Special JFCM for Excise cases had adjourned the complaint, the BJP leader approached the Telangana High Court with a criminal petition seeking direction to the lower court to inquire into his complaint.

In June, the Telangana High Court had directed the Special Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) for Excise Cases to conduct proceedings and decide the complaint expeditiously in accordance with the law.

The high court disposed of the criminal petition directing the magistrate to hear the petition on a day-to-day basis and expedite the proceedings on the complaint.