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A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the manner in which the petitioners obtained these documents “indicates a conspiracy” as the chargesheet in the case has not even been filed yet.
“Whatever way you received this is completely unacceptable,” it said. This is interference in the investigation. You go inside. How can you hold it?” The bench was hearing petitions filed by former MLA and YSRCP leader Pinnelli Rama Krishna Reddy and his brother Pinnelli Venkatarami Reddy.
The top court rejected his plea and directed him to surrender within two weeks.
The petitioners had challenged the August order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had rejected their plea seeking anticipatory bail.
Hearing the case on September 4, the Supreme Court said that ”by way of an interim order, in the event of arrest”, the petitioners should be released on bail in connection with the case registered in Palnadu district, provided that they furnish personal bonds of Rs 25,000 each with one or more sureties of like amount.
During the hearing on Friday, the lawyer appearing for the complainant told the bench that the petitioners have filed statements of some people recorded by the investigating officer in the case.
When the bench asked about this, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for one of the petitioners, said that he had received the documents from the court legally.
“This cannot be done,” the bench said, adding that the court can never give the case diary.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Andhra Pradesh, also expressed concern and said he was surprised as to how the petitioners got these documents.
“The manner in which you (the petitioners) purchased it prima facie reveals a conspiracy,” the bench said.
It found that one of the petitioners had stated that he was implicated on the basis of telephone conversations.
“How does the petitioner know the internal details of the investigation?” the bench asked.
Dave said the petitioners have been implicated in the case out of “pure political vendetta”.
“We are surprised by the reach of the accused,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Shoaib Alam appeared on behalf of the second petitioner.
The state counsel argued before the high court that both the petitioners were the key conspirators in the murder case of J Venkateshwarlu and J Koteswara Rao in May and the investigation was at a critical stage.
“Considering all the facts and circumstances of the case as well as the gravity of the offence, this court is of the view that granting anticipatory bail to the petitioners may hinder the ongoing investigation,” the high court said.