Andhra: ACB shielding minister, says tainted judge

Hyderabad: Alleging that ACB deputy superintendent of police Srikrishnudu had manhandled him in the name of investigation into the Gali Janardhan Reddy’s bail scam, suspended judge K Lakshmi Narasimha Rao has written to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and the AP High Court, and chairman of the AP State Human Rights Commission (APSHRC) among others seeking justice. He alleged that minister for law and courts Erasu Pratap Reddy was involved in the case but the ACB was trying to protect him.

The APSHRC, however, rejected the petition stating that the case would not come under its jurisdiction. Narasimha Rao, currently lodged in the Charlapally Central Prison, said in his letter that ACB joint director Sampath Kumar had abused him and his family members in filthy language while DSP Srikrishnudu had manhandled him.

“After reaching the ACB office on MJ Road in Hyderabad, I was made to sit in a room. My son was also called there. Sampath Kumar entered my room and started abusing me. Then, DSP Srikrishnudu came there and manhandled me. He pushed me around from the chair and pulled the collar of my shirt. Later, I was taken into a room on the ground floor which is used as lock-up cell. At midnight Srikrishnuduthreatened me and took my signature on some papers. When the judge asked me if ACB officials had harassed me when I was produced before the court, I could not tell him the truth since I was in depression due to the mental torture inflicted by the ACB officials,’’ he said.

Narasimha Rao said he was shocked to read the contents of his confessional statement. “It came as a shock. In fact, the entire confessional statement was false and nothing of it was stated by me. It was cooked up by ACB DSP Srikrishnudu. I was implicated in the case,’’ the suspended judge said in his letter.

“Sampanth Kumar had retired long ago but was reappointed. He is close to DGP V Dinesh Reddy who is a relative of the law minister. He has a vested interest in the matter _ to protect the minister. Sampath has been asked to investigate the case only to protect the law minister. Moreover, Sampath Kumar is a corrupt officer," he said. He accused the ACB joint director of harassing his family members and friends, and recording false statements. He pleaded with the the chief justice of India and of AP High Court to look into the matter.