File Counters on Pastor’s Death: HC to AP

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Ravi heard two separate petitions on Wednesday, filed by Praja Shanti Party chief K.A. Paul and Dadi Nageswara Rao from West Godavari, seeking a CBI probe into the pastor's death.

K.A. Paul raised suspicion over the circumstances leading to the pastor's death and alleged that the police were attempting to portray it as a road accident. Special government pleader S. Pranithi submitted that the pastor had died in a road accident after riding a motorcycle under the influence of alcohol and falling. However, K.A. Paul contended that the pastor did not consume alcohol and that the CCTV footage presented by the police featured a lookalike, not Praveen Kumar. After hearing both sides, the court adjourned the case to August 6.