HC says MP can visit constituency, bars Andhra police from coercive action

Facilitating the Narsapuram member of Lok Sabha K Raghurama Krishna Raju to visit his constituency on July 4 to take part in a programme being attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the State police to follow due process of law if any cases were to be registered against the MP.The court felt that its earlier directions to the police to not take coercive action still hold good.The court orders were based on petitions filed by the ruling YSR Congresss alleged rebel MP.

Facilitating the Narsapuram member of Lok Sabha K Raghurama Krishna Raju to visit his constituency on July 4 to take part in a programme being attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the State police to follow due process of law if any cases were to be registered against the MP.

The court felt that its earlier directions to the police to not take coercive action still hold good.

The court orders were based on petitions filed by the ruling YSR Congress's alleged rebel MP. Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy gave this direction on a fresh petition filed by him today. In the petition, Raju apprehended that the police might foist cases against him and arrest him if he visited Bhimavaram in connection with the Prime Minister's visit. He sought a direction to the State government to provide him physical security and also not take any coercive action. As the Central government agreed to beef up the MP's security to 'Z' category during his planned visit to Bhimavaram, the court refused to give any direction to the police in this regard. Raju said the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has so far registered allegedly about 10 criminal cases against him and he filed petitions requesting the court to quash all criminal proceedings. Elected from Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency as YSRC candidate, Raju allegedly rebelled against the party in mid-2020 and was a vocal critic of the Jagan regime. He was once arrested and allegedly beaten up the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the State police.

The Supreme Court prima facie established wrongdoing on part of the CID.

The Jagan government allegedly ensured that Raju did not step into his constituency or even the State in the last two years and as such the MP has reportedly been confined to New Delhi or Hyderabad.

As the Prime Minister is visiting Bhimavaram, under Narsapuram Lok Sabha segment, on July 4 to unveil a statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, Raju wanted to attend the event.