BRS working president K T Rama Rao
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: The Special Judicial Magistrate of First Class at Nampally Court on Saturday directed the Hyderabad police to register a criminal defamation case against Telangana Forest Minister Konda Surekha in connection with a petition filed by BRS working president K T Rama Rao against her.
Court found sufficient grounds to proceed under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses criminal defamation, in conjunction with procedural provisions under Sections 222 and 223.
Last year KTR filed a criminal defamation case against Surekha in the Nampally Court. KTR has sought criminal action against Surekha, citing her baseless and malicious remarks aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
KTR, in his plea, emphasised that such actions cannot go unchecked, as they not only cause personal damage but also undermine reputation.
KTR highlighted that this is not the first time Konda Surekha has indulged in such defamatory actions. He reminded the court that Surekha had previously been reprimanded by the Election Commission for similar baseless remarks.
Her repeated violations of decorum, he argued, reflect a deliberate attempt to harm his reputation through a pattern of malicious behavior.
KTR's petition followed Surekha's comments few days prior his petition that KTR was the reason behind the divorce of Tollywood actor couple Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. She went on to say that KTR was addicted to drugs and used to host rave parties.
The court ordered the registration of a criminal case against Surekha and mandated that a notice be served to her on or before August 21.
The court also addressed objections regarding the admissibility of a pen drive submitted as evidence by KTR. Surekha’s team argued that a Section 65-B certificate under the Indian Evidence Act was required for electronic evidence.
The court ruled that this requirement was premature at the current stage and could be addressed during the trial’s evidence phase, ensuring that the electronic material would be evaluated per legal procedures.
The court concluded that the evidence and testimonies established a prima facie case of a punishable offense under the BNS provisions.