In a major relief to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the Telangana High Court on Friday quashed a defamation case filed against him over remarks made during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.
The case stemmed from a complaint lodged by BJP Telangana General Secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu, who accused Revanth Reddy of making “false and defamatory” statements about the Bharatiya Janata Party during an election meeting held in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on May 4, 2024.
According to the complainant, Revanth Reddy had alleged during the rally that the BJP, if voted to power, would amend the Constitution and abolish caste-based reservations — a claim the BJP leader termed as misleading and damaging to the party’s reputation and its cadre.
The Special Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) for Excise Cases, which also functions as the designated MP-MLA court in Hyderabad, had taken cognizance of the complaint and summoned the Chief Minister to appear personally in August 2024.
In response, Revanth Reddy filed a petition before the High Court seeking quashing of the proceedings. The High Court had earlier granted him exemption from personal appearance before the trial court and has now ruled in his favour by setting aside the case entirely.
The ruling is seen as a significant vindication for the Chief Minister, who maintained that his remarks were made in the context of political discourse and should not attract criminal defamation charges.
