Telangana high court orders inquiry into police action against BRS MLAs outside assembly | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: Taking a serious note of alleged police high-handed behaviour towards BRS MLAs, including former home minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy and former minister (in erstwhile AP) V Sunitha Laxma Reddy, during the ongoing assembly session, Telangana high court on Monday directed the director-general of police (DGP) not to restrain or prevent BRS MLAs from entering the assembly to attend the eighth session.Justice T Madhavi Devi also directed DGP CV Anand to conduct an immediate inquiry, identify the erring policemen involved in the incidents and initiate strict action against them.A comprehensive inquiry report regarding the disciplinary measures and strict action taken against the identified erring police officials should be submitted to court, the judge clarified.Further, clarifying the boundary of executive authority, the judge held, “If there is any violation of the rules of the assembly, it is for the speaker to take action and not police.”Justice T Madhavi Devi passed the directions while hearing a lunch motion writ petition filed by BRS MLA and deputy floor leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav and posted the matter to Sept 21 for further hearing.The petitioner approached high court seeking urgent intervention against police personnel, who allegedly obstructed BRS legislators from entering the assembly premises on the opening day of the session.Senior counsel Gandra Mohan Rao, appearing for the petitioner, contended that police personnel deployed at assembly unleashed force on BRS MLAs, who were trying to enter the assembly. “Further, police held Sabitha Indra Reddy by her throat and manhandled MLA Sunitha Laxma Reddy, which is unacceptable, more particularly in the absence of woman cops at the place of incident.”He further submitted that though BRS MLAs wore black T-shirts with some slogans and badges on them, they still didn’t enter Assembly; rather, they were stopped outside the premises.“This action of police stopping the MLAs from entering the assembly infringes on the rights of BRS MLAs,” he added and submitted to the court photographs of the incident as evidence.Govt pleader (Home) Mahesh Raje informed court that BRS MLAs had violated the rules and procedures of conduct of business rules in the assembly, which restrain the legislators from wearing any kind of clothing with logos, badges, etc.Even as Raje informed the court that the MLAs were “allowed” into the assembly, the judge took strong objection, saying “There is no question of allowing” the MLAs into the assembly; rather, it is their right to enter” and directed the counsel to refrain from using the word “allowed” before court.High Court further issued notices to the principal secretary (Home), DGP, Hyderabad police commissioner and deputy commissioner of police (Khairatabad), and directed them to file their counters detailing their response to the allegations raised in the petition and adjourned the matter.
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