HYDERABAD: In a setback to the BJP Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad, Dharmapuri Arvind, the Telangana High Court on Friday rejected his quash petition seeking directions to set aside the case registered against him in Madannapet police station under the provisions of SC, ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
The court also vacated the interim stay, which was issued earlier restraining police from going further in the said case, including his arrest and asking for his appearance. Following Friday’s development, the police can proceed in the said case. However, on the request of Arvind’s counsel, the High Court said gave him four weeks to avail his remedies.
The police had registered the FIR against Arvind on a complaint by one Sailoo, who accused the BJP leader of making derogatory comments in the media against cases booked under the SC, ST Act.
Arvind had made these comments on October 31, 2021 after meeting Q TV web channel’s Teenmar Mallanna alias Chinthapandu Naveen, who was in Chanchalguda jail.
Challenging the complaint, Arvind approached the High Court in 2022 , which stayed further proceedings against him.
When the quash petition came up for hearing before the Chief Justice bench on Friday, T. Srujan Kumar Reddy, counsel for Arvind, argued that the word ‘lottapisulu’ was not a derogatory word but the name of a medicinal plant. He also submitted that as the complainant was not around when Arvind had made those comments, he was not eligible to lodge complaints.
The court observed that being a public representative, the MP should feel responsible and refrain from demeaning statements like ‘SC, ST cases are lottapeesu’ cases.
Dismissing his petition, the court observed ‘it is a prima facie case. Let him face trial’.
