Court Quashes Case Against Principal, Booked Despite Exposing Scam

Hyderabad: Justice Juvvadi Sridevi of the Telangana High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against the principal of the Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Degree College (TTWRDC), who was accused in a high-profile misappropriation case involving government funds. The judge was dealing with a criminal petition filed by B. Ravi, facing accusations of financial irregularities, forgery, criminal breach of trust by a public servant, and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The allegations primarily concerned the misappropriation of Rs 29.11 lakh, including ineligible house rent allowance claims and salary payments to fictitious employees. During the proceedings, it was revealed that the petitioner, serving as drawing and disbursing officer (DDO), had alerted higher authorities about the suspected misappropriation by other accused individuals, prompting a formal investigation. The inquiry committee did not find any direct involvement or benefit gained by the petitioner in the alleged irregularities. The judge highlighted that the chargesheet lacked specific allegations or material evidence against the petitioner, and no amount was recovered from him during the investigation. Importantly, the prosecution failed to establish any substantive connection or participation by the petitioner in the criminal acts. “The chargesheet does not disclose any material to show that the petitioner derived any benefit from the alleged acts, nor does it point to any direct involvement,” the judge held.

K.A. Paul discharged in brother’s murder case

Justice N. Tukaramji of the Telangana High Court discharged Kilari Anand Paul from all charges in a murder case linked to the death of his brother David Raj. The judge was dealing with a criminal revision petition filed by the evangelist and politician, popularly known as K.A. Paul. The case stemmed from a criminal investigation where Paul was initially implicated in an alleged conspiracy to murder his brother, motivated by internal family disputes over the management of GUM Charity City. The trial court had earlier denied his discharge plea, relying primarily on statements made by a co-accused, alleged voice recordings on a compact disc, and a hard disk containing purportedly incriminating material. Upon thorough examination, the judge found critical flaws in the prosecution's case. The de facto complainant, who initially implicated Paul, later retracted his statement, contending that it was made under coercion by the police. The forensic analysis confirmed that the hard disk was non-functional, and the conversations recorded failed to establish any direct link or conspiracy between Paul and the murder. “The materials placed on record are either legally inadmissible, inherently unreliable, or devoid of incriminating value,” the judge stated. The judge emphasised that motive alone, without corroborative evidence, was insufficient to proceed with a trial.

Meerpet police told to book case

Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court directed the station house officer of the Meerpet police to register an FIR on a complaint alleging sexual assault and blackmail as part of a conspiracy to grab family properties. The judge was hearing a writ plea by a woman contending that private individuals, in a conspiracy to dispossess her, targeted her daughter by administering intoxicating drugs, committed sexual assault, recorded objectionable photos and videos, and thereafter blackmailed and illegally detained her while pressuring the petitioner to transfer property in their favour. The petitioner submitted that though a representation was made to the commissioner of police, no action was taken, compelling her to approach the court. After hearing the submissions, the judge directed the station house officer of Meerpet police station to register an FIR against the accused and take necessary action in accordance with law, while keeping the petitioner informed of the progress of the investigation.

HC admits plea over Gadwal hospital

Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the Telangana High Court admitted a writ petition challenging the alleged illegal dispossession of patta land for the construction of a 350-bed hospital and a nursing college in Gadwal. The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by Vadla Bhavani, a daily-wage worker, who contended that the government authorities were pursuing construction activities in an arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional manner, in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The petitioner alleged that the actions of the Director of Medical Education, the collector, and the district magistrate of Gadwal were in blatant contravention of the AP Assigned Land Act of 1977 and 2020, as well as the board standing orders (BSO). According to the petitioner, lawful possession of the plot was granted by the tahsildar of Gadwal, and the land was specifically designated for the construction of a dwelling house for personal use, not for institutional purposes. She sought a direction from the court to restrain the respondents from proceeding with the dispossession or any construction activities related to the hospital and nursing college. The government pleader sought time to obtain necessary instructions in the matter.