Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday, November 20, questioned the arrest of former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Patnam Mahendar Reddy in connection with the Lagcherla violence in Vikarabad district.
It is to be noted that Reddy was arrested by the Telangana police following the violent protest against the proposed pharma city in Kodangal constituency in Vikarabad. While hearing the quash petition filed by Reddy against his arrest and remand, the Telangana High Court reserved the judgment.
The court questioned the need for arresting the former MLA like a terrorist and arresting him during a morning walk at KBR Park. The court pointedly asked the public prosecutor whether the former MLA was absconding and that such a high-handed approach was warranted. The court also noted a failure to adhere to Supreme Court guidelines during the arrest.
It further pointed out discrepancies in the police report which described the injuries to police officers during the Lagcherla violence. While the police initially claimed serious injuries, subsequent reports mentioned those as minor injuries.
Defending the BRS leader’s arrest, the public prosecutor alleged that Narender Reddy was responsible for instigating the locals to attack the officials and for inciting unrest. He argued against quashing the remand order, stating that it would hamper the ongoing investigation.
Patnam Narender Reddy arrested in Vikarabad
Patnam Narender Reddy was arrested following an alleged attack and violence against government officers during a public hearing in Lagcherla Village, Dudyal Mandal, Vikarabad, on November 11.
He requested an order to suspend the remand pending the resolution of his criminal petition. His legal team argued that the remand order was issued without proper consideration of the facts and does not serve the interests of justice.
Vikarabad violence
The case stems from a public hearing held in Lagcherla Village regarding land acquisition for the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TIIC). During this hearing, it is alleged that a group of individuals affected by the land acquisition process attacked government officers.
While several individuals involved in the attack have been arrested, the remand report claims that a confession made by one of the accused led to Reddy being named as the primary accused in this case.
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