Hyderabad Court Rejects Bail of DSP S Bheem Reddy in DA Case

The Principal Special Judge for SPE & ACB cases in Hyderabad on August 3 dismissed the bail petition of DSP S Bheem Reddy in an alleged disproportionate assets case. Bheem Reddy, who was remanded in judicial custody on July 7, had filed his bail petition before the special court on July 14 citing medical and humanitarian grounds.

According to the prosecution's remand case diary, Bheem Reddy joined government service in 1995 and allegedly amassed assets worth over Rs 9 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials stated that if alleged benami properties are included—such as about 47 acres of agricultural land in the Zaheerabad area across Telangana and Karnataka, along with other properties in Hyderabad—the total market value of the assets reaches approximately Rs 150 crore.

During court proceedings, Bheem Reddy's counsel argued that properties attributed to him actually belonged to third parties. Counsel claimed he only owned a small plot of farmland in Proddatur village near Shankarpally, valued at Rs 25,000 during its registration in 2022. Defense lawyers also argued that the grounds for arrest were not properly furnished and requested bail due to his deteriorating health.

Countering the petition, the ACB submitted that Bheem Reddy had used benamis to evade law enforcement agencies. Prosecution informed the court that during a search of his residence on July 2, officers recovered a mobile phone belonging to his wife containing images of a handwritten property list. The court observed that the noted entries tallied with evidence gathered during the investigation.

Addressing the medical plea, the court noted that while Bheem Reddy had been advised a coronary angiogram, there was no submission indicating he was being denied adequate medical care in judicial custody. Terming the matter a serious socio-economic offence, the court held that ownership disputes over properties must be resolved through a full trial, and rejected the petition given the ongoing investigation and potential punishment of up to 10 years in prison.