The Hyderabad High Court pulled up the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday, and asked it to explain the issuing of Government Order (GO) 379, which ordered for the withdrawal of a criminal case against MLA M Ashok Reddy from Giddalur, in Prakasam district.
The court was hearing a PIL by Sheik Mastan Vali, who contented that the case should not be withdrawn with a GO, as he accused in a case of burning a police jeep.
The Hindu reported that the petitioner's counsel also questioned the timing of the GO, as the legislator was elected on a YSRCP ticket and later switched over to the TDP.
The Times of India reported that the state's counsel argued that the case was not serious, as he was fighting against the alleged illegal detention of a person in a police station, when the person came out and collapsed, dying of a heart attack.
This led to a massive reaction from the crowd that had gathered, and irked protesters burnt a police jeep. The police booked the legislator, as he was leading the crowd, before the violence burst out, the counsel claimed.
Demanding to know under what provisions of the law, such orders were issued, the HC gave time to AP counsel Krishna Prakash until Monday, and posted the case for further hearing.
This follows earlier reports that the ruling TDP government had withdrawn 23 criminal cases against politicians belonging to the party, since it came to power in 2014.
The Deccan Chronicle reported that this included several major cases, like a molestation case against state minister K. Atchannaidu and an attempt to murder case against minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
Other cases pending on Deputy Chief Ministers KE Krishnamurthy and N. Chinarajappa, Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Kollu Ravindra, and Nakka Anand Babu, were also withdrawn by the home department, the DC report added.