Telangana HC Judges Inaugurate All India Employees Cricket Tournament
The programme was hosted by the Service Association of the High Court of Telangana.
Hyderabad:Telangana High Court judges Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy and Justice K. Sarath inaugurated the five-day All India High Court Employees Cricket Tournament here on Monday. The ceremony was held at the CNR Cricket Ground, Nagole, in the presence of High Court employees and representatives from various states. The programme was hosted by the Service Association of the High Court of Telangana.
Dismissed SI Challenges HC Order Upholding Removal Over Sexual Assault Charges
Hyderabad:A sub-inspector has approached the Telangana High Court, challenging the order of a single judge who had upheld his dismissal from service on allegations that the police officer had sexually assaulted women staff at the police station and had pointed his service revolver at them.
Former sub-inspector Padala Venkata Sadananda Bhavani Sen, then with the Rebbana and Kaleshwaram police stations, had been suspended in the year 2022 by the Jayashankar Bhupalpally district superintendent of police. Sen was dismissed in 2024 as his continuation would be detrimental to the department. The inspector-general of police and the Director-General of Police later affirmed the order.
Sen contended that the authorities invoked Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution and Rule 25(ii) of the Telangana Civil Services (CCA) Rules, 1991, to remove him from service, while not issuing a charge memo or conducting a departmental enquiry. He argued that the mere registration of a crime (No. 42 of 2024) for offences under Sections 449, 376(2), 324 and 506 of the IPC did not justify dispensing with the inquiry process. He alleged that the dismissal order was passed by an authority not competent to do so.
Opposing the appeal, the state asserted that the appellant was repeatedly involved in grave misconduct, including allegations of sexual offences against women personnel, and that a departmental enquiry was impracticable as witnesses would be reluctant to testify against a serving police officer. A single judge had earlier upheld the dismissal, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the need to preserve public confidence in the police force.
Telangana HC Refuses to Stay Release of Rahul Sipligunj’s Web Series 'Cult'
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court declined to grant interim relief staying the release of Rahul Sipligunj’s upcoming web series ‘Cult’ on OTT platforms on January 17, holding that without hearing the other side no case was made out for immediate restraint.
The writ petition was filed by Uttam Valluri Chaudhary against the producer and director of the web series and social media intermediaries, including Meta Platforms, Instagram and Google Play, alleging that the web series contained circulation and promotion of objectionable content based on a pending criminal case in relating to the ‘Madanapally murders’. The petitioner contended that the series, earlier titled ‘Madanapally Murders’ now renamed ‘Cult’, which amounted to a distorted dramatisation of sub judice proceedings, violated the Digital Media Code of Ethics and Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, and interfered with the administration of justice.
After hearing preliminary submissions, Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka issued notices to Sipligunj and the production team and adjourned the matter to January 20, while declining to stay the release.
The term ‘Madanapally murders’ refers to the killing of P.V.V. Sudhakar and his wife Sarala reportedly by their daughters. The murder at that time was linked to alleged occult beliefs and the suspects reportedly had mental health issues.
