The Hindu : Aggrieved villager deposes before high official

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Aggrieved villager deposes before high official

By Our Staff Reporter

BHONGIR (NALGONDA DT.) APRIL 22. The Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, P.C. Parekh, on Tuesday recorded the statement of Rami Reddy, who alleged that the Collector, Ram Prakash Sisodia, beat him up during the fodder distribution programme here on April 17.

Mr. Parekh reached R&B guest house at 10 a.m. from Hyderabad and interacted with Mr. Reddy for nearly two and half hours. He also met four other farmers -- Chandupatla Venkatiah, Bhukya Sitaram, Bhukya Ramulu and Lunawat Sivla besides two officials, Tirupataiah, the Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department and Bhim Reddy, the Revenue Divisional Officer. All the six were present at the venue when the "unsavoury'' incident took place.

This is said to be the first such inquiry against a Collector in recent past in the State.

After recording the version of Mr. Ram Reddy, a rickshaw-puller of Bommaipally village, Mr. Parekh asked about his political affiliations and his statement threatening to commit suicide. He also reportedly sought to know as to who had taken him to Gandhi Bhavan.

The Joint Collector, Purushottam Reddy, was also present in the enquiry session to help Mr. Parekh translate Mr. Ram Reddy's version from Telugu to English.

Mr. Ram Reddy signed on the statement only after checking the contents with his confidants, Harool Khan and Gopal Reddy.

Meanwhile, the official did not meet Ram Narayan Reddy, the veterinary doctor, who was also allegedly "scolded'' by the Collector in full public view after the incident.

Mr. Parekh expressed his willingness to speak to the doctor when reporters sought to know as to why he was not called to present his case despite being issued a notice to attend before the inquiry officer.

Mr. Parekh said that he would submit a report to the Government on the issue after speaking to the Collector, who is on leave till April 23, in a day or two.

The representatives of the AP SC Welfare Association led by Dondapati Prabhakar Rao and the AP Dalit Students Association led by Perika Kanranjay Raj submitted memoranda to Mr. Parekh alleging that political parties had been magnifying the incident for mileage.

They urged him to ignore the accusations against Mr. Sisodia, who according to them was a sincere official.

However, the Congress leader, Chintala Venkateswara Reddy, and the Youth Congress leader, Ravi Kumar, demanded stern action against the Collector for "his highhandedness.''

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