In a big relief to Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator and former minister T Harish Rao, the Telangana high court on Thursday stayed his arrest in connection with a case pertaining to tapping of a Congress leader’s telephone during the previous BRS regime.
Responding to the quash petition filed by Harish Rao, the high court bench headed by Justice K Laxman issued orders not to arrest him immediately, though it permitted the police to continue their investigation.
It also advised Harish Rao to cooperate with the inquiry. Notices were issued to Chakradhar Goud, the complainant, and the hearing was adjourned.
Harish Rao filed a petition in the high court on Wednesday, seeking the dismissal of a case filed against him by real estate businessman and Congress leader G Chakradhar Goud, who alleged political vendetta. The case involved allegations of phone tapping.
Harish Rao claimed that the police registered the case without conducting a preliminary investigation and that the complaint was fabricated with no evidence against him.
He argued that the allegations, based on an old incident of phone tapping, were baseless and would harm his political career and reputation if acted upon. Justice Lakshman’s bench reviewed the petition, and the matter is under examination.
On Thursday morning, the Banjara Hills police arrested Harish Rao and another BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy. The police had earlier filed a case against Kaushik Reddy for obstructing police duties.
When Harish Rao came to Kaushik Reddy’s house to obstruct the latter’s arrest, the police arrested both of them. They were shifted to Gachibowli police station.
