HC dismisses plea by ‘Telangana Veerappan’

HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal filed by Edla Venkatamma and her son Edla Srinivas seeking direction to the  police authorities not to book the latter under the Preventive of Detention Act. The Court cannot restrain the probe officers even before they could commence  investigation of the case, the bench noted. Petitioner Srinivas, who is known as ‘Telangana Veerappan’ was wanted by the police and forest officials of Telangana, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh states in connection with smuggling of timber for the past several years. 

On Tuesday, he was detained by the police at Godavarikhani in Peddapalli district. Recently, a single judge issued notices to Peddapalli district officials to respond to the petition filed by the mother and son seeking directions to the police not to initiate any proceedings under the PD Act by foisting false cases against Srinivas. When no restraint order was passed by the single judge, they filed the present appeal in the form of lunch motion on Wednesday before the division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Rajasheker Reddy.The counsel appearing for the appellants told the court that Srinivas has been supporting the political parties which were opposing TRS. 

After hearing, the bench made it clear that it cannot pass any orders preventing the police from going ahead with the investigation. While refusing to entertain the present appeal, the bench suggested them to file habeas corpus petition if they feel that the said detention was unlawful, and dismissed the appeal.