In a relief to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) legislator Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday barred police from taking any action against him till June 5 in the case relating to the destruction of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) during polling.
The High Court passed the orders on anticipatory bail petition of the MLA from Macherla constituency in Palnadu district who was evading arrest in the case. While directing the police not to arrest him till June 5, the court posted the next hearing to June 6.
Ramakrishna Reddy's counsel Niranjan Reddy, who had moved lunch motion petition, argued that the incident occurred on May 13 but the FIR was registered on May 15. Initially, the FIR was booked against unknown persons but later the MLA was named accused number one after a video was circulated on social media. The MLA's counsel submitted to the court that the video circulated on social media may be a morphed one.
The incident had occurred at a polling booth in Macherla constituency on May 13 during the polling for simultaneous elections to state Assembly and Lok Sabha.
Eight police teams have been searching for the MLA for the last two days as the Election Commission of India has ordered his immediate arrest.
Earlier in the day, Chief Electoral Officer M.K. Meena ordered suspension of the polling officer and assistant polling officer of Palwai Gate polling booth where the MLA had damaged the EVM.
He said both the officers failed to provide information about the incident.
Ramakrishna Reddy, who is seeking re-election from Macherla as YSRCP candidate for a fifth consecutive term, was booked by police under sections 143, 147, 448, 427, 353, 452 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 131 and 135 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, 1984.
According to CEO Meena, these 10 sections are strong ones under which the punishment may go up to seven years. He said a case was initially registered against unknown persons but after going through video footage the MLA has been named as the main accused. A memo in the court concerned has also been filed.
In the video that went viral on May 21, Ramakrishna Reddy is seen walking into a polling booth and smashing the EVM on the ground.
(With inputs from IANS)
