A single judge Bench of the High Court comprising Justice D. Ramesh on Wednesday stayed the proceedings against CBI Additional SP Ram Singh in a case registered by the Andhra Pradesh police on the charge of intimidating Gajjala Uday Kumar Reddy, whose suspected involvement in Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy’s murder is being investigated.
Justice Ramesh issued the interim order during the hearing of a quash petition filed by the CBI and posted the matter after four weeks. He also ordered that notices be served to Uday Kumar Reddy.
Assistant Solicitor General of India (ASG) N. Harinath argued on behalf of the CBI that the complaint filed by Uday Kumar Reddy against Mr. Ram Singh was intended to hamper the investigation. It was originally a private complaint filed by Uday Kumar Reddy in the Pulivendula court and the same was referred to the local police station.
Uday Kumar Reddy’s allegation that Mr. Ram Singh was repeatedly calling him and his father for the purpose of investigation does not attract any provisions of law, Mr. Harinath told the court while insisting that the petitioner (the CBI officer) was empowered by the statute to act within the legal boundaries for inquiring into the murder of Mr. Vivekananda Reddy.
The ASG further contended that acts done in good faith by the CBI officers have statutory protection under Section 138 of the Delhi Police Establishment Act.
He asserted that there was no truth in the allegation that Mr. Ram Singh was trying to implicate some politicians in the crime (Vivekananda Reddy’s murder). Registration of crimes on frivolous grounds would demoralise the investigating agencies, Mr. Harinath maintained.
