The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an appeal challenging the Telangana High Court’s decision to quash a 2016 FIR registered against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the IPC, holding that the High Court had “minutely considered the facts” and found no prima facie case against him.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi observed that the High Court’s view appeared “perfectly fine” and more plausible in the facts and circumstances of the case. The Court clarified that it was not granting a “clean chit” to the Chief Minister but found no reason to interfere with the quashing order.
The bench also remarked that political battles should not be fought in courts.
The FIR, registered in 2016 at Gachibowli police station, named Revanth Reddy as accused no. 3. The complainant, associated with the SC Mutually Aided Cooperative Housing Society Limited, alleged that Reddy had instigated his brother and others to trespass on the Society’s land in Gopanpally village and demolish two rooms using an earth-moving machine with the intention of occupying the property. It was also alleged that caste-based remarks were made against the complainant.
In 2020, Reddy approached the Telangana High Court seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings, contending that he was not present at the scene of the alleged offence.
On July 17 last year, the High Court quashed the FIR, holding that the prosecution had failed to produce any material linking the accused to the incident.
While declining to interfere with the High Court’s order, the Supreme Court recorded that the High Court had examined the material in detail and found no prima facie case against Reddy.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Chief Minister, submitted that the petitioner was an “adventurous litigant” and pointed out that he had earlier made allegations against the High Court judge who passed the quashing order.
In an earlier round of litigation, the Supreme Court had taken strong exception to “scandalous and scurrilous” allegations made against the High Court judge. However, the contempt proceedings against litigant N. Peddi Raju and two lawyers were later closed after they tendered apologies, which were accepted by the High Court judge. The Court cautioned that such conduct undermines the integrity of the judicial system and must be “strongly deprecated.”
With the dismissal of the appeal, the High Court’s order quashing the FIR against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy stands affirmed.
