AP High Court admits TD plea against Jagan

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, March 15 : The AP High Court on Tuesday decided to hear a petition filed by the Telugu Desam against the assets of the former Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with another plea filed by the Congress MLA, Dr P. Shankar Rao, who sought a CBI probe on the same issue.

The court issued notices to the Centre, state, the CBI and Mr Jagan and his associate companies directing them to file counter affidavits on the plea of the TD.

Mr Shankar Rao’s petition is pending before a division bench comprising Justice V. Eswaraiah and Justice V. Suri Appa Rao of the HC. The TD petition was also listed before the same bench on Tuesday.

Mr Dammalapati Srinivas, counsel for the petitioners told the court that the TD leaders had represented the matter to the state, Centre, CBI and the Central Vigilance Commission on several occasions since February 2009 urging the authorities to initiate action against Mr Jagan under relevant provisions of law.

The judge asked him whether he filed those representations along with the petition. He replied that he had filed the acknowledgement.

The judge directed him to submit those representations to the court.

The bench directed the registry to post the petition along with Dr Shankar Rao’s petition for hearing on March 25.

HC confirms lifer to 9 for murder

A division bench comprising Justice V. Eswaraiah and Justice Suri Appa Rao of the High Court on Tuesday sentenced nine accused to life imprisonment for the murder of one Balagangi Reddy of Kadapa district.

The bench was allowing an appeal filed by the state government against the acquittal of the accused by a lower court in the district. Balagangi Reddy was killed on December 4, 1999, at his village Kodigandlapally of Muddanoor Mandal.

Police registered a case against 21 persons for killing him by using bombs and sickles. The additional district and sessions judge of Proddutur acquitted the case.

The bench felt that the acquittal was based on technical issues like delay in filing the FIR and others and it was not proper. The deceased was a sympathiser of the Congress.

The bench awarded life imprisonment to R. Tirupathi Reddy, R. Peda Venkat Reddy, R. China Bali Reddy, R. China Konda Reddy, R. Venkat Ram Reddy and four others.

The bench while conforming the lower court’s finding declared that the nine other accused were innocent. Three others died during the interregnum period.

HC stays order on Dravidian varsity

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, March 15 :Justice R. Subhash Reddy of the AP High Court on Tuesday stayed the decision of the state government in cancelling the admissions made into PhD course in Dravidian University. It was made clear that degrees shall not be awarded.

The judge was dealing with two writ petitions filed by a large number of candidates. They said that the state government does not have the power to cancel the admissions.

It may be recalled that when there was hue and cry about the admissions made into PhD course, an inquiry was held and the government issued orders cancelling these controversial admissions. The writ petitioners were allowed to continue the course at their own risk by the judge now.

The respondents were asked to file counter affidavits.