CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ HYDERABAD FRIDAY MAY 03, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 38 LATE CITY EDITION Supreme Court orders 33% quota for women in SC Bar Association | P9 NO WORD, BUT PARTY 5 Cong SM in-charges held by Hyd cops READIES IN RAE BARELI DOCTORED SHAH VIDEO E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad HYDERABAD police detained five Congress members on Thursday in connection with the circulation of a doctored video by the Congress on their X handle featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Two complaints have been filed against the Telangana Congress — in Hyderabad and Delhi — alleging that the team had reportedly morphed and circulated a video of Shah’s statement on reservations. After several tweets and retweets, the video was later deleted from the Congress X handle. In their complaint in Hyderabad, the BJP stated that Amit Shah said: “If Bharatiya Janata Party forms the government, then we will cancel the unconstitutionally given Muslim reservations. In Telangana, SC/ST and OBC rights will be given but Muslim reservation will be cancelled.” However, the BJP alleged that TPCC chief Revanth Reddy, in his X account, had doctored the video to instead convey “If Bharatiya Janata Party , forms the government, then SC/ST and OBC reservations will be cancelled.” Following the complaints, a team of Delhi police earlier visited Gandhi Bhavan and issued notices to Revanth and five other Congress leaders asking them to join the investigation on May 1 at New Delhi. However, due to the CM’s in- volvement in the election campaign, his legal team represented him and requested a fourweek extension. The Delhi police also reportedly arrived in Hyderabad on Thursday for further investigation into the case. However, the five accused were already detained at the Central Crime Station here, sources said. Interestingly, though two FIRs were filed against the Congress on the same issue, the sections invoked by the Hyderabad police are different from that of the Delhi police. While the Delhi police registered a case under IPC Sections 153, 153-A, 465, 469 and 171G read with Section 66-C of the Information Technology Act, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime police booked the accused un- der IPC Sections 469 and 505(1) C. Notably, 153-A is a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The Delhi Police is likely to serve a second notice to the members of the Telangana Congress. The members of the Telangana Congress, who were supposed to appear before the office of the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO), have not done so till now. “We will again ask them to appear before the IO (investigating officer), as they did not come on Wednesday an officer ,” privy to the investigation was quoted as saying by agencies. Earlier, advocate Soumya Guptha, representing Revanth Reddy before the officials of IFSO in New Delhi, said the video was not posted from the personal account of the TPCC chief. She clarified that the CM was not the owner of the Telangana Congress X handle. HC bench upholds lifer for Suri’s killer If CM or students prove what I said is wrong, then I am prepared to go to jail. Is the CM ready to go to jail if his circular is proved fake? T G N A I D U @ Hyderabad A bench of the Telangana High Court on Thursday upheld the life sentence awarded to Malisetty Bhanu Kiran, also known as Bhanu, for the murder of Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Maddilacheruvu Suri. Suri was a key figure in the 2005 assassination of TDP MLA Paritala Ravi. Earlier in 2018, an additional sessions judge had sentenced Bhanu Kiran to life imprisonment. Bhanu had shot dead Suri at Yousufguda in Hyderabad when they were travelling together in a car in January 2011. Challenging the local court’s verdict, Bhanu Kiran had appealed in the high court. The decision came after a thorough consideration of the criminal appeal filed by Bhanu Kiran challenging the trial court’s verdict. Despite Bhanu’s contention of insufficient direct evidence and alleged contradictions in witness M Bhanu Kiran statements, a bench comprising Justice K Lakshman and Justice P Sree Sudha affirmed the conviction. Public Prosecutor Palle Nageswara Rao argued that Bhanu meticulously planned and executed the murder. According to Rao, Bhanu was travelling with Suri on the day of the incident, positioned strategically behind him in the car. Bhanu fired fatal shots at Suri from behind, causing injuries consistent with his position in the vehicle. Refuting the defence’s claim of unidentified gunmen attacking Suri, Nageswara Rao pointed to medical evidence indicating bullet wounds on the right side of Suri’s neck and scalp, inconsistent with shots fired from outside the car. Bhanu also attempted to evade justice by fleeing to MP assuming a new iden, tity as Mukesh Kunjam. The prosecution highlighted Bhanu’s manipulation of Suri’s associates to carry out the murder, implicating him in a premeditated scheme. Assistant Public Prosecutor Shalini Saxena and advocate Sahala Kamalla supported the prosecution’s argument before the bench. The bench endorsed the trial court’s meticulous examination of evidence and declined to intervene in its 2018 verdict. EXPRESS READ ‘Will liberate Siddipet from clutches of Raos’ Hyderabad: Launching a scathing attack against BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister T Harish Rao, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that he will liberate the Siddipet from the clutches of Raos | P5 Hyderabad Metro hits 50 crore passenger mark Hyderabad: Confirming its tag of being the ‘the transportation lifeline’ of the city, the Hyderabad Metro Rail has recorded a ridership of 50 crore passengers since its inception in 2017, officials announced on Thursday | P3 KT Rama Rao, BRS MLA BRS working president KT Rama Rao addresses a press meet in Hyderabad on Thursday Krishank’s arrest illegal, says KTR, issues jail dare to CM E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad ASSERTING that last year’s circular of Osmania University declaring holidays tweeted by BRS social media coordinator Manne Krishank was genuine, BRS working president KT Rama Rao declared his willingness to be sent to Chanchalguda jail if proven wrong. Terming the arrest of Krishank as ‘illegal’, he asserted that the BRS would fight it legally Releasing WhatsApp . chats and other evidence to the media here on Thursday , Rama Rao alleged that the circular posted by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was fake. He said that Krishank, who proved that the CM’s post on X was fake, was currently in jail. He asserted that Revanth should instead go to jail for posting a fake circular, which said that during BRS rule, the OU declared holidays in summer due to shortage of water and electricity . The BRS MLA said that OU students themselves stated that the circular posted by Revanth was fake. He alleged that the CM misled the people on the issue and the chief warden stamp was also changed in the circular. “If the CM or OU students prove what I said is wrong, then I am prepared to go to Chanchalguda jail. Is the CM ready to go to jail if his circular is proved fake?” asked Rama Rao. He wondered why the ECI was not taking any action against Revanth for posting a fake circular. He also lamented that the ECI did not take any action against the CM for using derogatory language during campaigning. Rama Rao said that the EC did not even take any action against BJP leaders who were using Lord Rama’s photos in the election campaign. He alleged that the BJP was spreading venom against Muslims on social CONTINUED ON P5 media. Nomination deadline for Amethi, Rae Bareli seats in UP ends today BJP drops tainted Brij Bhushan, fields his son Karan in Kaiserganj P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow WITH barely hours left for filing of nomination papers for the Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, the Congress is continuing to keep the suspense on whether Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka will contest from the prestigious seats. Though there was no official word, sources said that Rahul is likely to enter the fray from Rae Bareli. That decision was taken after much deliberations within the party leadership. However, sources said Priyanka may not contest the general elections. On Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the decision would be announced by Thursday evening. Yet, there was no official announcement till going to the press. However, posters of Rahul have come up in both Amethi and Rae Bareli as the local leadership is hopeful that one of the Gandhis will contest from Amethi. “We received a message Family from the high command in the bastion evening to make preparations Rae Bareli is for Friday’s nomination. The party will also hold a rally to- prestigious for the Congress day said a leader. ,” According to sources, Con- as it was held by Indira gress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has conveyed to the Gandhis Gandhi thrice, that not contesting from Uttar her husband Pradesh would not augur well Feroze Gandhi twice and for the party’s prospects in the Sonia from Hindi heartland. Rahul represented Amethi for three straight 2004 to 2024 terms from 2004 to 2019 before he was defeated by Union minister Smriti Irani by over 50,000 votes in 2019. Irani, who is seeking a second term from Amethi, has challenged Rahul to contest from the seat. A section of the leaders believe that if Rahul does not take up the challenge, it will only vindicate the BJP’s charges of him running away from the seat. According to sources, Rahul was not keen on Priyanka’s electoral debut as he did not want all the three members of the family in Parliament. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been constantly attacking the Congress over its dynasty politics. THE BJP on Thursday dropped Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces criminal charges of sexually harassing women wrestlers during his stint as the president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), and instead fielded his younger son Karan Bhushan Singh from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj Lok Sabha constituency . The saffron party also named Dinesh Pratap Singh as its candidate from Rae Bareli, a Gandhi family bastion that elected Congress leader Sonia Gandhi five consecutive times. Dinesh Pratap Singh, currently serving as a minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, was the BJP’s candidate from the Rae Bareli parliamentary seat in 2019 as well. Even though he lost to Sonia Gandhi last time, he managed to bring down her victory margin to 1.67 lakh votes from 3.52 lakh in 2014. He was earlier with the Congress and he joined the BJP in 2018. Rajput Brij Bhushan, the sitting MP card in Kaiserganj, was forced to reBy fielding sign as WFI president over the Dinesh Singh sexual harassment scandal after and Karan the wrestlers launched a proBhushan(pic), test. By denying ticket to Brij BJP hopes to Bhushan, the BJP has sought to placate send out a message of distancRajput ing itself from tainted leaders. community With Brij Bhushan, the total voters, who number of MPs benched by the were upset BJP in UP in the ensuing elecwith the party tion has touched 15. A six-time MP, Brij Bhushan has won not only from Kaiserganj but also neighbouring constituencies like Gonda and Balrampur. An influential regional leader, he has sway over half-a-dozen Lok Sabha seats in and around Gonda in central UP . Brij Bhushan has formidable clout in Kaiserganj and adjoining districts as he owns over 50 educational institutions in the region. He had been pitching hard for a seat for himself while the BJP reportedly gave him two options — to field his wife Ketaki Singh or elder son Prateek, an MLA from Gonda Sadar. Ketaki Singh was BJP’s Gonda MP in 1996. ‘Prajwal flew on diplomatic passport’ Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi SUSPENDED Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is in the eye of a storm over his alleged sexual harassment of women, travelled to Germany on a diplomatic passport without political clearance, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday . “No political clearance was either sought from or issued by MEA in respect to his travel to Germany… Obviously, no visa note was issued either,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Thursday . Diplomatic passport holders can travel to over 100 countries, including Germany with, out visa. “The ministry has not issued visa note for Revanna for travel to any other country the MEA ,” spokesperson said, adding that parliamentarians are entitled to have diplomatic passports. Prajwal is the sitting MP from Hassan, from where he is seeking re-election. Diplomatic passports are issued to diplomats, government officials and individuals who are authorised to undertake official travel on behalf of the government. Under international law, diplomatic passport holders enjoy certain privileges and immunities, including immunity from arrest in the P6 host country . BJP scrambles to save Sikri fort from popular Kargil war veteran’s Hand N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow KNOWN for being the seat of the famous Sufi saint Salim Chishti and the fort of Mughal Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri is the youngest parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh. It was carved out of Agra in 2008. BJP’s Rajkumar Chahar had won it in 2019 with a thumping five lakh-plus vote margin. But this time around, the contest seems to be evenly poised between the BJP and the Congress. Sikri goes to polls on May 7. Congress candidate Ram Nath Sikarwar — popularly known as Fauji Baba — is giving a tough fight to Chahar, who is reeling under antiincumbency besides intraparty rebellion. In 2019, Chahar was a giant killer, having defeated Raj Babbar, the then state president of the Congress. But now Chahar, the national chairman of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha, is caught in a double whammy . Apart from Sikarwar, Chahar is also facing a tough challenge from Rameshwar Chaudhury, son of sitting BJP MLA Babulal Rajkumar Chahar Ram Nath Sikarwar ILLUSTRATION: MANDAR PARDIKAR Chaudhury. Rameshwar has raised the flag of revolt and is contesting as an independent. He is believed to have better clout than Chahar among the Jat voters. The BJP recently expelled Rameshwar after all efforts to pacify him failed. Chahar also has to deal with grumpy Kashtriyas because of a perceived slight against the community by the BJP’s candidate in Gujarat’s Rajkot, Parshottam Rupala. Since Sikarwar is a Kshatriya, he is getting resonance from the community . To save the seat, senior BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, a prominent Thakur face, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are holding multiple rallies in Sikri and Agra to placate the Kshatriyas. The BJP has also roped in retired Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadoria, another Thakur from Bah who recently joined the party to pacify the Thakurs. , Bhadoria held a roadshow for the BJP candidate. Chahar is mainly relying on the ModiYogi factor to stay afloat. As for the Congress, its leadership is trying to put in more efforts to wrest the seat. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is scheduled to hold a roadshow in Fatehpur Sikri on Friday . Besides, Sikarwar has his own following. He resides in the Kheragarh village, often stays in a village temple and travels in a four-wheeler. A Kargil war hero, he retired from the Army in 2004. His popularity especial, ly among the deprived sections, is giving Chahar more worries. The BSP has fielded Ram Niwas Sharma, a Brahmin, making it a quadrangular contest. Sikri has 1.75 lakh Jats, 3.5 lakh Thakurs, 3 lakh Brahmins, 1.4 lakh Kushwahas, 1.25 lakh Nishads, and Muslims and Vaishyas at 1 lakh each.
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