An Anakapalle court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) on Wednesday against Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao for not appearing before it.
The NBW was issued by the Court of Second Metropolitan Magistrate in Anakapalle, while hearing a case of alleged violation of the poll code of conduct during elections in 2009.
It was alleged that Ganta, who was contesting for the Anakapalle Assembly constituency under Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), distributed cricket kits and sarees, in a bid to lure voters.
Ganta went on to win that election, following which the Anakapalle Town police registered a case against him under Section 171(E) of the IPC, that deals with 'punishment for bribery'.
Though the court has issued several notices to Ganta Srinivasa Rao to appear before the court, he ignored the notice.
The Deccan Chronicle reported that election flying squads conducted a surprise raid and seized the cricket kits and sarees on April 3, 2009, after activists of the Congress and the TDP filed a complaint.
When the PRP merged with the Congress, Ganta went on to serve as a minister in the cabinets of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Kiran Kumar Reddy. In 2014, he switched to the TDP, where he was made the state's HRD Minister.
Issuing the NBW on Wednesday, the court said that Ganta had ignored several summons and notices, and directed the police to produce him before it on the next trial day.
The case has been posted to September 11.
Earlier this month, the Hyderabad High Court asked the Andhra Pradesh government to furnish details of cases booked against TDP leaders, which were dropped, after the state issued a number of Government Orders (GOs).
The GOs ordered for the withdrawal of 273 cases against several TDP leaders and Ministers, including a murder case that was pending against Ganta Srinivasa Rao, according to reports.