Telangana files review petition in HC on rejection of judicial remand

HYDERABAD: The State government on Thursday filed a criminal revision petition in Telangana High Court challenging the order of a local magistrate rejecting the remand application pertaining to the arrest of BJP MLA T Raja Singh.

The Chief Justice granted permission to hear the petition, filed through the Station House Officer (SHO), Mangalhat Police Station, on Friday, when Public Prosecutor C Prathap Reddy mentioned it. Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan will hear the arguments on Friday.

Raja Singh released a video on YouTube referring to a specific group and the recently conducted show by stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui. In his video, the MLA alleged that the comic had “insulted Hindu Gods and Goddesses.” Raja Singh allegedly made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad in the video, which has since been removed from YouTube.

The police used various Sections of the IPC against Raja Singh, including promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony. (Sec.153(A)(a)(b)), and arrested him.

He was produced before the 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Nampally Criminal Courts. However, the court denied the police’s remand appeal for failing to follow the correct arrest procedure and ordered the MLA’s immediate release.