ACB told to file counter in Purushotham’s case plea

Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Telangana to file a counter-affidavit on a petition by G. Nipun Reddy, son-in-law of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority Director (Planning) K. Purushotham Reddy who was absconding after the bureau registered a case of disproportionate assets.

Nipun sought to declare the action of the ACB authorities in calling him and his wife and his sister-in law and harassing them and threatening them without issuing notice under Section 41-A of CrPC as illegal.

They were called in connection with the case registered against his father-in-law.

Meanwhile, Srinivas Reddy, brother-in-law and alleged benami of Purushotham, also moved a petition questioning the action of the ACB authorities in sealing his house and also issuing notice to him appear before them.

Counsels made a mention before Justice AV Sesha Sai to take up hearing of the cases to protect the petitioners from harassment.

When the judge said he would hear the cases on Wednesday, ACB senior counsel Ravi Kiran Rao objected to the plea of the petitioners and submitted that in the case of Nipun, the court had earlier instructed the ACB to examine him in the presence his lawyer.

He said the authorities had found `1 crore worth jewellery at the instance of Nipun and his wife who was not cooperating with the authorities about the source of the money for the purchase. He said ACB found illegal assets of worth `25 crore amassed by Purushotham in his name and benami names.