In an interesting development, the State government has issued orders withdrawing prosecution in cases filed against leaders of different political parties during the separate statehood agitation between 2009 and 2014.
Even as political leaders heaved a sigh of relief with the government’s decision that was announced on Tuesday morning, another order was issued late in the evening keeping the decision in abeyance until further orders.
Cases had been registered against Chief Minister of the caretaker government K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Minister Eatala Rajender, M. Kodandaram and others during the period when the agitation for separate Telangana was at its peak.
The orders, issued by the Law Secretary V. Niranjan Rao requesting the DGP to initiate necessary action into the issue, came as a relief to the political leaders. The order was issued a day after notification for the forthcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly.
Second order
However, later in the evening, the Law Secretary issued another order stating that the earlier order for withdrawal of prosecution in several crime numbers had been kept in abeyance. “In view of the model code of conduct in force, the orders issued for withdrawal of prosecution in several crime numbers, are kept in abeyance until further orders,” the order (GO Rt 619) issued in the evening said.
