Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday, February 17, directed the state government to produce Akula Yadagiri, a councillor elected from Ward 19 of Ibrahimpatanam municipality in Rangareddy district, before the court at 10:30 am on Wednesday, February 18.
The court also ordered that the election to the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson be kept in abeyance until further orders.
The direction came after Yadagiri was reported missing ahead of the municipal leadership election. His son, Harikanth, moved an urgent petition before the High Court on Tuesday morning, stating that despite lodging a complaint, there had been no progress in tracing his father.
He sought immediate intervention as the election was scheduled for 11 am.
A division bench comprising Justices Moushumi Bhattacharya and Gadi Praveen Kumar took up the matter urgently. Senior counsel Venkatesh, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that 14 councillors belonging to a particular party who won in the recent municipal elections were shifted to a camp.
While the others were later allowed to leave, Yadagiri was allegedly not released. The petitioner expressed suspicion that Yadagiri, who was in the race for the chairperson’s post, might have been kidnapped by former MLA Manchireddy Kishan Reddy of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and his son Prashanth Reddy.
Spl Govt Pleader seeks time
Special Government Pleader Pottigari Sridhar Reddy informed the court that the police were investigating the matter and sought some time to secure Yadagiri’s presence.
After hearing both sides, the bench issued interim orders staying the conduct of the chairperson and vice-chairperson elections and directed that the authorities be informed immediately. The matter was adjourned to Friday.
Later in the day, Yadagiri reportedly resurfaced around the time of the scheduled election. In view of the High Court’s interim orders, the election process was halted. The government counsel apprised the bench of this development.
While the petitioner maintained that Yadagiri had been kidnapped, counsel representing the former MLA contended that the councillor had voluntarily gone incommunicado and reappeared before the election.
Court appoints amicus curiae
To ascertain the facts, the court appointed advocate A. Ramakrishna Reddy as amicus curiae. It directed that Yadagiri be produced before the court on Wednesday along with his wife.
The interim stay on the municipal leadership election will continue until further orders.
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