Telangana High Court Issues Notices to BRS MLCs in Assembly Speaker Abuse Case

The Telangana High Court on Monday issued notices to Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLCs T Madhusudhan and N Naveen Kumar Reddy following a petition moved by the Hyderabad police seeking permission to arrest them. The police approached the court in connection with a case concerning alleged derogatory remarks made against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker G Prasad Kumar.

Justice BR Madhusudhan Rao, who heard the matter in Hyderabad, directed both the legislators to file their responses to the notices. Following the initial submissions, the High Court adjourned the hearing to September 23.

The case arises from an incident that took place near the Legislative Assembly on September 7. The two MLCs allegedly used objectionable, abusive, and vulgar language against the Assembly Speaker, prompting law enforcement authorities to intervene.

Following the incident, the Hyderabad police registered a criminal case against the two lawmakers and took them into custody. However, when the police produced them before a local trial court seeking their judicial remand, the magistrate declined the application.

The trial court instead ordered the release of the two MLCs upon executing personal bonds of ₹20,000 each with sureties. Challenging that decision, the Hyderabad police moved the High Court, contending that the trial court erred in turning down the remand request.

In their petition, the police submitted that failing to arrest and remand the accused sent a wrong message to the public. They argued that overlooking allegations of using abusive and vulgar remarks against a constitutional authority could encourage similar misconduct in the future.

Public Prosecutor Palle Nageswar Rao submitted before the court that the magistrate’s decision to release the accused on bonds violated statutory norms. He argued that the order was contrary to the procedure prescribed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.