N Uttam Reddy gets relief as HC grants stay for transporting cash in a car to distribute to voters
Former minister and his brother claimed the cash was advance payment for purchasing solar power equipment
Hyderabad: Justice R. Subhash Reddy, the vacation judge of the AP High Court, has granted stay on all further proceedings in a case registered against former minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, and his brother, Goutam Kumar Reddy, during the polling on April 30, allegedly for transporting cash in a car to distribute to voters.
Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy and his brother moved the court seeking to quash the criminal proceedings initiated against them. They told the court that the car in which the cash was seized belongs to their company and the car met with an accident at Suryapet, while he was returning to Hyderabad with the cash collected from one of their customers, at Mellacheruvu village, in Nalgonda district. They submitted that the customer also admitted, before the police, that he had given Rs 2 lakh as advance for purchasing solar power equipment from their company.
They contended that except the allegation that the cash was found in burnt condition and it was stationed at a particular place, there was no other evidence to prove that the cash was meant to be distributed among voters.
The counsel for the petitioner, S. Chandra Mohan Reddy, submitted that Mr Goutam Kumar has submitted his reply to the notice served by the police, by explaining the facts, in view of that, the continuation of the case against their clients was against the principles of natural justice.
After hearing the arguments, the judge admitted the plea and directed the police not to proceed further in the case, till further orders.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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