Selective leak of information: court seeks CBI response

A Division Bench of the AP High Court comprising acting Chief Justice P. C. Ghose and Justice C. Praveen Kumar on Monday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to the issues raised in a PIL case alleging that the premier agency was giving selective leak of information to the press.

The Bench was perusing the writ petition filed by Bhushnam Bhavanam from Vishakapatnam seeking a direction to the CBI to stop this kind of leakages.

During the arguments, the Bench wondered why an impression was there that the investigating agency was sharing information with the media. Counsel for CBI opposed the petition stating that the petition was based on newspaper reports and there was no proof of the allegations.

Rave parties

The Bench asked the government to respond in two weeks to the issues raised in the writ petition pertaining to rave parties in the city.

The AP Legal Services Authority, through its Secretary, brought to the notice of the court various newspaper reports about a rave party at a resort in the outskirts. The reports disclosed that illegal consumption of drugs and abusive substances was taking place.

Aadhar card for ration supply

The Bench asked Civil Supplies officials not to insist on the production of the Aadhar identity card for supply of essential commodities.

Syed Naeemuddin, a resident of the city, approached the court as party in person stating that ration shop dealers were insisting on production of the Adhaar card in addition to the card issued by the Civil Supplies Department.

The government pleader pointed out that the officers were not insisting for production of the Adhaar card but were collecting data.

De-addiction centres

The State government was asked by the Division Bench to take steps to establish de-addiction centres across the State.

The Bench was disposing off a PIL filed by Mamidi Venu Madhav, a practising advocate, seeking implementation of a policy of total prohibition and a drug-free State.

The petitioner said that the government had taken steps to start the centres only in five districts.

His plea for establishing cells to launch an anti-liquor campaign was not granted by the court.