Telangana HC Refuses Bail to Murder Convict During Appeal

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court comprising Justice K. Lakshman and Justice Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy refused to suspend the sentence and grant bail to a man convicted of murdering his wife in 2017. The panel was hearing a criminal appeal filed by Pochampally Ravi, a resident of Narsingapur in Jagtial district, challenging his conviction and life sentence imposed by the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Rajanna Sircilla, for offences under the Indian Penal Code. He sought suspension of the sentence, pending appeal. According to the prosecution, the couple, married in 2012 and parents to three children, frequently quarreled. During one such altercation in September 2017, the accused fatally assaulted his wife with a knife. An autorickshaw driver who witnessed the incident testified that he saw the accused repeatedly attack the woman with a sharp-edged weapon. The post-mortem report confirmed a deep neck laceration consistent with injuries caused by a sharp weapon. After reviewing the evidence, the panel observed that the allegations were grave and that a prima facie case of murder was clearly made out. Finding no grounds to suspend the sentence, the panel dismissed the petition.

JNTu-H view on promotion upheld

A two judge panel of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin set aside a single judge order that directed the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) Hyderabad, to reconsider an employee’s eligibility for promotion to the post of assistant registrar. The panel was hearing writ appeals filed by the university and another employee against the order passed in a writ plea by M. Sneha, a technical assistant grade-I, who sought consideration for appointment by transfer to the post of assistant registrar. The university contended that the post was reserved for promotion from among superintendents in the ministerial service and that since 1993, the Executive Council consistently followed this practice, forming part of its internal administrative structure. The petitioner argued that she was qualified under Clause 12 of Statute XIV, which allows in-service employees to be considered for posts in other services. After hearing both sides, the panel held that each service cadre in JNTU had a distinct promotional channel, and the post of assistant registrar, being administrative, was rightly limited to the ministerial service. The panel found that the single judge had exceeded the scope of judicial review by intervening in a consistent policy. Accordingly, the panel allowed the appeals and restored the university’s decision, holding that the petitioner was not eligible for consideration to the post.

HC stops fisheries society bifurcation

Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court set aside the notice issued by the district fisheries officer directing the bifurcation of Gopayyapalli from the operational area of the Primary Fisheries Industrial Cooperative Society Limited, Peddapalli. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by the society, represented by its president Nerella Swamy. The petitioner challenged the notice as arbitrary and in violation of its resolution wherein the general body unanimously opposed the proposed bifurcation. It was contended that the society, established nearly four decades ago, depends on fishing activities in Peddacheruvu and Potharajucheruvu of Peddapalli mandal, and that separation of Gopayyapalli would deprive members of their only perennial water source and livelihood. The judge noted that though a feasibility report recommended bifurcation, the objections of the petitioner were neither invited nor considered as required under the Telangana Cooperative Societies Act. Holding that the authorities failed to follow due process, Justice Madhavi Devi directed the registrar of cooperative societies to call for and consider the petitioner’s objections before taking any decision on bifurcation.