The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two more persons in connection with derogatory social media posts against judges and the judiciary. The agency has so far arrested five persons in the case.
Accused Pattapu Aadarsh and Lavanuru Samba Siva Reddy were arrested by the agency on Saturday. “In order to investigate the larger conspiracy, the CBI has also examined certain persons, including MP Nandigam Suresh and former MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan, not mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR),” said a CBI official.
In the same case, the CBI arrested Dhami Reddy Konda Reddy and Pamula Sudheer on July 28. While Mr. Dhami Reddy Konda Reddy is currently in judicial custody, Mr. Sudheer is in the agency's custody till August 10. Another accused named Lingareddy Rajasekhar Reddy, who earlier worked in Kuwait, was arrested on July 9. He is also in judicial custody.
The agency took over the probe on November 11, 2020, after registering the FIR against 16 accused and other unknown persons, following a direction from the Andhra Pradesh High Court. It was alleged that they deliberately targeted some judges of the Supreme Court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court through interviews in the media, abusive comments and threats on social media platforms.
During the investigation, the CBI traced 13 persons named in the FIR. Three of them were found to be living overseas. The agency has examined 11 accused. The CBI is also trying to secure the presence of two other accused, said to be in the United States, for their questioning.
While five have been arrested so far, evidence against the remaining six is being evaluated for further necessary legal action.
“Searches were also conducted on the premises of accused persons. One of them, Lingareddy Rajasekhar Reddy, had allegedly been using a passport issued in another name,” the official said, adding that all the objectionable contents were removed from the internet. The agency has sought assistance from its counterparts in other countries, through the Interpol, to gather evidence from abroad.
It is alleged that the derogatory contents were posted last year after different Benches of the Andhra Pradesh High Court passed orders with regard to some petitions filed against the instructions and actions of the State government and its functionaries.
“Even the persons occupying high position went to the media and gave interviews against the High Court and its judges, that too, from the party office belonging to a political party, which is in power,” the Court had observed in its order.
As alleged, persons occupying key posts in the State had intentionally targeted the judges, through interviews to the media, speeches and social media posts, and attributed motives to some judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court in delivering orders/judgments.
