Hyderabad: Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court on Thursday refused to hear a criminal petition filed by MLA-elect Raghunandhan Rao who was recently elected from the Dubbak constituency.

The judge reasoned that all matters relating to MLAs and former MLAs and other legislators were being heard by the court presided over by the Chief Justice. Arguments of counsel Vishnu Vardhan Reddy on the question whether Raghunandhan can be treated as MLA before being sworn in did not find acceptance with the court.

The petition was filed to quash a criminal case filed against him and other accused for offences including assault on a public officer and dacoity. In a separate petition filed by Akula Naresh and Gundla Janardhan, BJP workers and Siddipet advocates Kanakiah and Sanjeev Reddy, Justice Lakshman directed that the investigations may go on without effecting arrest.

However, when the public prosecutor pointed out that Rs 12 lakh was still to be recovered in the investigation, the judge made it clear that they could seek arrest by following the procedure under the law. The case pertains to police recovering money from the residence of Anjan Rao, a close relative of Raghunandan Rao.

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