Lok Sabha elections 2019: MP Cases 68, convictions 0; lawmakers have it easy

HYDERABAD: Ever since the special court to take up criminal cases against MLAs and MPs was established in Telangana upon the directions of the Supreme Court, none of the cases have resulted in conviction.While most cases are ‘pending’ in various stages, 12 of the total 68 cases have resulted in acquittal or discharge.


The 68 accused include candidates who were re-elected in the December assembly

election

and some who are seeking re-election as an

MP

in the April 11 polls.

The Supreme Court last year gave directions to all the state governments to set up special courts for trial of criminal cases relating to elected MPs and MLAs and dispose off the cases within one year.

Those against whom the cases are pending include Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, BJP MLA Raja Singh, Telangana Congress working president A Revanth Reddy and former Congress minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.

The leaders who were either acquitted or discharged by the court include minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, MIM MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, deputy speaker T Padma Rao, former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, former Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav and Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath of the TRS.

Nine district courts transferred the pending cases to the designated special court in Hyderabad and 40 cases were transferred to the special court from various courts in Hyderabad. In the recent past, TRS MLAs Jogu Ramanna and Gangula Kamalakar and several others appeared before the court.

The government had issued orders on April 26, 2018, for setting up the special court, which was set up eight months ago. Currently, the metropolitan sessions judge court is in charge of the special court and a full-time specially designated court hall and a designated judge are yet to be created.

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