By IANS
Hyderabad : P. Janardhan Reddy, a senior leader of Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Congress party, Saturday targeted Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy once again and said he would challenge in court the closure of a police case against the CM’s brother.
PJR, as Janardhan Reddy is popularly known among his followers, told reporters that he would take the matter to court as police allegedly closed the case due to the chief minister’s influence.
Police Monday had booked a case of rioting against the chief minister’s brother Y.S. Ravindernath Reddy and nephew Y.S. Sumadhar Reddy on a complaint by PJR’s wife.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner Balwinder Singh said late Thursday that after the investigations it was found that the charges levelled against the duo in the complaint were not true. He said the relatives of the complainant were the aggressors and the complaint was made many hours after the incident, only as a sequel to a complaint lodged by Ravindernath Reddy.
Police had arrested PJR’s son P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and son-in-law Santosh Reddy late Sunday on various charges including attempt to murder after they assaulted the chief minister’s brother and nephew over blowing the car horn. They were released on bail Tuesday.
The incident occurred when Ravindernath Reddy’s son blew the horn of his car on a narrow road in the Jubilee Hills neighbourhood upon seeing a vehicle blocking the way. It happened to be the car of Janardhan Reddy’s son.
Defying the party’s central leadership, PJR has decided to go ahead with his fast-unto-death from Monday. He is demanding that a case of attempt to murder be booked against the chief minister’s brother and nephew.
As police have declined to give permission for his protest at Indira Park, he announced Saturday that he would launch the fast at his house in Domalguda.
His demands also include suspension of a police official for humiliating him and a thorough probe into the whole incident.
The legislator has ignored the directive of Digvijay Singh, in charge of Congress affairs in the state, who had summoned him to Delhi. Singh had asked PJR to talk to him before taking any step on the issue.
PJR alleged that the attempt to murder case was booked against his son and son-in-law at the instance of the chief minister. He also claimed that Rajasekhara Reddy was trying to have him suspended from the party.
PJR, who represents the Khairatabad assembly constituency in Hyderabad, is a bitter critic of the chief minister. He was the leader of the opposition in the state assembly from 1994 to 1999.
His actions have embarrassed the party but won him support from Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well as Congress dissidents. PJR also plans to move a breach of privilege motion in the assembly on Monday against a police official for allegedly humiliating him after the incident.