HC Quashes Poll Code Case Against Uttam
Complaints were lodged by then chief engineer of the irrigation department and other officials, and the police registered offences under Section 188 of the IPC.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has quashed a criminal case under the election code against irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and exempted him from personal appearance in two other similar cases. All three cases were registered during the 2019 bypoll for the Huzurnagar Assembly constituency on charges that he violated directives issued to public servants under the election code. Complaints were lodged by then chief engineer of the irrigation department and other officials, and the police registered offences under Section 188 of the IPC. After the police filed a chargesheet in 2023, the matters have remained pending before the special trial court that handles criminal cases against MPs and MLAs.
Seeking to quash these proceedings, Uttam Kumar Reddy filed three separate petitions in the High Court, alleging that the cases were instigated by the then ruling BRS. Justice K. Lakshman heard the petitions, quashed one case outright, and adjourned the remaining two for further hearing on August 18.