‘Release white paper on withdrawal of criminal cases’

The Forum for Good Governance and Jana Chaitanya Vedika has demanded the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to release a white paper on the criminal cases against people’s representatives including Ministers that were withdrawn.

At a press conference here on Thursday, former Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy, former Commissioner, Right to Information Act, P. Vijay Babu and President, Jana Chaitanya Vedika, V. Lakshman Reddy listed out 21 cases against public representatives for which Government Orders were issued between June 2015 and March 2017.

“We demand that a white paper be published, explaining on a case-to-case basis,” the trio said, disappointed over the fact that people in power were misusing the law for personal and political ends.

The former Justice Lakshmana Reddy and Mr. Lakshman Reddy mentioned a particular ruling party leader in Nandyal, pointing out that cases for criminal/grave crimes against even those with ‘history sheets’ were withdrawn if they switched to the ruling party.

Explaining further, Mr. Lakshmana Reddy said that following the Forum’s letter to the Election Commission of India, the commission and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had written to the AP government for ‘further necessary action’.

They said cases were registered by police against some ministers and a few MLAs under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to grave offences too, they said. They included use of criminal force against a woman, , attempt to murder, use of force against a public servant etc.