SRIDHAR REDDY MURDER: DAD SAYS PROBE TARDY

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court called for the case diary into the investigation into the death of BRS functionary B. Sridhar Reddy in May. The father of the deceased B. Shekar Reddy filed the writ petition challenging the action of police in not conducting the investigation and apprehending the accused.

The petitioner alleged that Sridhar Reddy was hacked to death with sharp-edged weapons early on May 23. He alleged that his deceased son had enemies in the ruling party. A local MLA who is also Cabinet minister was trying to botch up the investigation and creating lacuna in further proceedings in order to aid the culprits, the petitioner alleged.

Senior counsel L. Ravichander appearing for the petitioner contended that though it was over a month since Sridhar Reddy was murdered, the local police had not effected a single arrest. He said that the investigation was being stonewalled at the instance of the local Congress MLA.

Ravichander said that such a tardy one-sided investigation would not only fail to punish the guilty but could also bring down the confidence of the people. Per contra, counsel representing the government, on instructions, argued that the investigating officer had examined seven witnesses and interrogated more than 40 persons. He contended that police were conducting the investigation in a fair manner. The judge after perusing the material on record and taking into account the apprehension of the petitioner, directed the investigating officer to produce the case diary within four weeks.