The Telangana High Court on Friday provided significant relief to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, working president K.T. Rama Rao, and senior leader T. Harish Rao by quashing three criminal cases registered against them in connection with the 2011 Million March protest at Tank Bund.
Court Order Details
Justice K. Sujana issued the orders while allowing criminal petitions filed by the leaders. The cases, initially registered at the Central Crime Station in Hyderabad, had named K. Chandrasekhar Rao, K.T. Rama Rao, and T. Harish Rao as accused numbers 2, 3, and 4, respectively, among 23 accused individuals.
The high court's latest decision follows earlier relief granted to K. Chandrasekhar Rao and T. Harish Rao. On April 22, the court directed the state government not to take coercive steps against them based on the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission report, which investigated alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project. The court had previously determined that the inquiry findings were prejudicial to their conduct and reputation.
Background of the Cases
According to the First Information Reports (FIRs), a mob of approximately 50 individuals, including the petitioners, allegedly abused media personnel using foul language, snatched cameras and microphones, assaulted them, and threw a video camera into the Tank Bund lake during the protest on March 3, 2011. The protest was part of the Telangana statehood agitation.
Police later filed a chargesheet, and the trial court in Hyderabad named the three leaders as absconding accused. However, in 2013, the trial court acquitted all accused individuals due to lack of evidence.
Significance of the Ruling
Friday's ruling effectively closes the long-pending Million March cases against the BRS leadership. This decision marks a major legal victory for the party, which had been contesting these cases for over a decade. The quashing of the cases removes a significant legal burden from the three leaders, allowing them to focus on political activities without the shadow of these criminal proceedings.
