The Capital News
Vijayawada: May 28: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy in three additional cases. The court directed that no action should be taken against the MLA by the police until the completion of vote counting on June 6.
Reddy had filed a fresh bail petition in the AP High Court after the police lodged three separate cases against him, shortly following his relief in the EVM vandalism case four days ago. In his emergency petition, Reddy alleged that the police were attempting to implicate him in multiple cases to ensure his incarceration during the vote counting on June 4.
The latest cases filed against the Macherla MLA include allegations of attacking Telugu Desam Party agent M Sheshagiri Rao and abusing a woman who protested his alleged vandalism of an EVM machine at the Palwai Gate polling booth on May 13. Additionally, the police registered a zero FIR based on a complaint from TDP activist N Manikyala Rao, who hails from the MLA’s village, Kandlakunta in Palnadu district.
Reddy’s advocates informed the court that the police were targeting the MLA by filing new cases and providing misleading information to the High Court. The judge questioned the police about the timing of the case registrations. When the police responded that the cases were registered on May 22, the judge examined the records. It was found that the cases were actually filed on May 23, a day after the High Court granted bail to Reddy in the EVM vandalism case, and the information was conveyed to the magistrate on May 24.
Advocates representing the complainants argued that Reddy might incite violence on the counting day if granted bail. However, the court granted bail with specific conditions, includes Reddy must report to the police daily, provide his residential address, and surrender his passport.