Hyderabad, Feb. 19: A court on Tuesday sentenced the TD deputy floor leader and former minister, Mr N. Janardhan Reddy, to six months’ imprisonment in a defamation case filed by the minister for rural development, Mr G. Chinna Reddy. The First Class Munsif Magistrate’s Court of Mahbubnagar district also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Mr Janardhan Reddy. However, the court released him on bail on submission of two sureties of Rs 5,000 each. Mr Janardhan Reddy said he would file an appeal in the AP High Court.
Mr Chinna Reddy filed a criminal defamation suit against Mr Janardhan Reddy in 2002 for making defamatory remarks against him. He alleged in his petition that Mr Janardhan Reddy abused him during a zilla parishad general body meeting in Mahbubnagar in February 2002. Mr Janardhan Reddy had alleged that Mr Chinna Reddy had obtained a bogus doctorate. The TD leader also dubbed him a cheat and racketeer.Mr Chinna Reddy informed the court that he obtained a doctorate from a Malaysian university in biometrics and plant breeding. He submitted his original certificate to the court as an exhibit. The court examined three persons including the MLA, Mr J. Krishna Rao, during the trial.
“The remarks of Mr Janardhan Reddy are defamatory in nature and they were widely publicised in the media. My image and prestige was tarnished,” Mr Chinna Reddy claimed. Mr Janardhan Reddy, who was present in the court during the pronouncement of the judgement, told mediapersons that he would honour the verdict. Dr Chinna Reddy described the verdict as a “victory of truth”. “The court has declared that my degree is genuine and I am happy about it,” he said. The minister advised the TDP leader to desist from making wild allegations against others.
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