Observing that the case of arrested associate professor of Osmania University Chinthakindi Kaseem ‘acquired unique colour’, the Telangana High Court on Sunday directed the Advocate General to explain why the police failed to act against the professor in cases registered against him in 2012 and 2019.
A Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy passed the direction, after hearing contentions of the counsels of the government and the professor for over two hours at CJ’s residence here at Banjara Hills. Following the Bench’s order in the Mr. Kaseem’s habeas corpus petition which was heard the previous day, the Mulugu Police of Siddipet Commissionerate brought him to the CJ’s residence amidst tight security.
After recording the arrested professor’s statement and contentions of both the sides, the Bench noted that it was ‘rather surprising that police had never moved against Mr. Kaseem for past 14 years despite accusing him of involvement in five criminal cases’. “It is only suddenly after the lapse of inordinate period of 14 years that the police has woken up to the threat posed by the professor both to society and to the State at large,” the Bench said in its order. According to the details presented by the police a case was first registered against Mr. Kaseem in 2006 at Amrabad in Nagarkurnool district.
Status sought
The Bench said Mr. Kaseem was not even aware of the three First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him in 2016 and 2019, as the investigators never approached him on these matters. Expressing concern over this, the Bench instructed the AG to explain status of investigation in these three cases.
“Why the police has failed to take any action against the professor in these FIRs?” the Bench specifically wanted to know. Referring to police claim that 54 persons (including Mr. Kaseem and his wife) were made the accused in a case registered in 2016, the HC asked the police to inform exactly how many persons were arrested in that case.
‘Declared absconder’
As police declared Mr. Kaseem as an absconder in a case registered in 2016 (in which the Mulugu case arrested him now), the Bench asked what steps the police had taken to declare him as an absconding offender. Police were also instructed to present papers which were submitted to the lower court to declare him as an absconding offender.
The matter was posted to Friday for hearing, directing the AG to file a detailed counter affidavit by Thursday. Mr. Kaseem, who was already remanded in judicial custody by a magistrate, was shifted to Sangareddy prison.
